A CHARITY sheep sale has raised £2,900 for Manorlands.

Twenty-eight lambs, predominantly Mule wethers, were donated by farmers and went under the hammer at Addingham and District Sheep Breeders' Association's ninth annual fundraiser.

Since the event – at Skipton Auction Mart – was launched, about £33,000 has now been raised for the Oxenhope Sue Ryder hospice.

Mart bosses again waived commission on sales to maximise funds.

Joint organiser and last year's show champion, Joe Throup, of Berwick Intake Farm at Chelker, said: "Yet again, the regional farming community dug deep to support a very worthy cause.

"It was a tremendous outcome and we can only thank all who donated lambs and other items for sale and to all buyers and supporters."

A standalone show for mules was won by the Walker family – Patrick and Janet and their son Thomas - from Appletreewick.

As well as getting the winner's red rosette, their home-bred lamb also picked up the Pearson Farm Supplies Shield, donated annually by Chris Pearson, who heads up the West Marton-based agricultural merchants.

The charity show victor first made £300 when falling to Linda Beckwith, on behalf of Pearson Farm Supplies, who then offered the lamb for resale. Auctioneer Ted Ogden then knocked it down to himself, on behalf of Craven Cattle Marts, for a further £100.

The sheep will be over-wintered, before returning to the Skipton ring next spring, when it will again be auctioned off in aid of Manorlands.

Runners-up were JC Walker and Son, of Dunsop Bridge, with Kevin and James Wilson, of Blubberhouses, standing third, and Ellis Bros, of Adddingham Moorside, fourth.

Show judges were Ian Lancaster, of Wiswell, and Darwen’s Robert Tarbutt.

The charity fundraiser formed part of the fortnightly sale of store lambs, the final one this year, when the 1,760 head on parade were predominantly medium and long-keep types, with strong lambs short of buyers’ requirements. As a consequence, this resulted in a very sharp trade, producing an overall selling average of £50.33 per head.

Smart Continental and strong Suffolks were all around £60 or more, with better Mule wethers selling into the mid-£50s.

Outside the show, Andrew Sutton, of Longsleddale in South Lakeland, caught the eye with a pen of 52 Mules selling at £57.80 per head, along with another pen of 48 at £56 each. More buyers in attendance for smaller long-keep types also helped these sell well.