E & M Townley & Son, of Clapham was first into the ring on Saturday at Gisburn Auction Marts’ breeding and store sheep sale.

Their smart pen of two and three crop Texel cross Charollais ewes with twin lambs at foot sold for the top price of the day at £235 per family.

Samuel Chapman, of Broughton, sold correct Suffolk ewes with pure twin lambs at £215 while Chris Craven, of Kexby, York, sold his three and four crop Texel cross ewes with twin lambs at foot at £228.

The same vendor also sold Mule ewes with Suffolk lambs at foot in the £160 to £185 price range.

In lamb sheep were less money than the previous fortnight, no doubt a reflection on the recent dreadful weather, mainly selling shy of £100. However, a nice pen of young Cheviots scanned up and due late March onwards from Andrew Tattersall, of Withnell, Chorley, made £100.

The trade of the day though was reserved for the reduction sale of pedigree Jacob sheep for Graham Eckersley, of Darwen. Ewes scanned with twins sold to £145, and averaged £121, singles to £100 and pure geld gimmers to £65.

Even at this late stage in the season, store hoggs continue to find new homes. Texels sold to £80, averaging £62, Charollais out of Swaledales to £56 and Swaledale gimmers to £58.

John Mellin, of Long Preston, won Gisburn Auction Marts’ best pair of prime hoggs show on Thursday.

The victors weighed 38kgs and sold for £128 to Croppers Butchers, Accrington.

The judge was Simon Duerden.