JUST over 80 stirks were forward at Gisburn Auction Marts' May show and sale of stirk on Thursday.

Topping the sale was Richard Fitton, of Worsley, with his first prize Limousin heifer, just eight months old, which sold at £1,130 to Pilling-based Brook Bull Hire.

The same purchaser went on to pick up the reserve champion, again from Mr Fitton. This time it was an eight-month-old Limousin bull, which sold for £1,040.

Chris Dean, of Clapham, topped the black and white section with a steer which sold at £572 and £570.

David Capstick, of Hellifield, sold a British Blue heifer at £910 and a British Blue steer at £890 and taking them both home was Andrew Dyson, of Masham.

Auctioneer Rachel Capstick said: “With the grass now growing, trade was strong throughout the sale with the majority of cattle being snapped up by Yorkshire and North East buyers.”

At the prime cattle show, George Cropper Butchers, of Accrington, purchased the champion which was shown by Hayley Baines, of Trawden, and weighed 456kgs. It sold for 3750p/kg or £1,710.

The reserve champion was another British Blue heifer shown by Richard Critchley, of Hutton. It weighed 556kgs and sold for 312p/kg or £1735 to Townson and Son Quality Butchers, of Brierfield, Lancashire.

Averages were: premium heifers, 268p/kgs; premium bulls, 206p/kgs.