VIGILANCE is key was the message that a boss of a leading Carlisle livestock auctioneer wanted to get across as they start to interact with customers once more.

Richard Rankin, CEO of H&H Group, in his weekly diary, emphasises safety is their paramount priority. "Whilst we can control our working environments, making them all COVID safe with signage, screens and new working practices, we still have to work together to ensure these standards are maintained with the right communications and behaviours in place to ensure we are doing everything possible to stop the virus spreading any further," said Richard.

News this week from the livestock auction mart reveals that Harrison & Hetherington continues to trade well in spite of restrictions imposed by Covid-19. "Our prime sheep sale at Kirkby Stephen was evidence of that as we saw an entry of 2,663 sheep consisting of 1,208 spring lambs, 703 prime hoggs and 752 cast sheep. Topping the spring lambs at £134 and 335p/kg were a pen of three 40kg Beltex cross lambs from Messrs Lyle, Staingills, Penrith. A pen of 20 38kg lambs from this home sold to make £123.30 (324.5p/kg).

Turning to the land and property division, a hill farm in West Lakes, which had fallen through during the crisis, was put back onto the market and sold the same week."This is a great result for our clients and goes to show that the market is emerging victorious beyond the house sale lock down."

"Finally, World Milk Day was celebrated this week, which given the challenges that the milk industry has suffered of late, was an opportunity to recognise and give thanks to all those keeping the supermarkets stocked."