A 'pet' lamb named Bob helped raise cash for NHS Charities Together at the opening sale of store lambs at NWA J36.

Bob, owned by Freddie Willison of Levens, was first sold for £300, purchased by John and Rachel Geldard, before being offered for resale several times to local farmers, with the running total currently standing at £1,340.

Although Bob was the star highlight of the day, the sale also saw a record entry of 1,811 store lambs with bidders travelling from far afield.

There was an impressive overall market average of £72.98 with lambs to suit all buyers’ requirements with lambs selling from £42 to £115. Texel lambs sold to a top of £115 from Mrs L Vickers, Scarborough with other Texel lambs selling to £100 from G Hargreaves, Scotforth. Plenty more pens of strong Texel lambs sold around the £90 mark. Charollais sold to a top of £95 from CD Slinger & LJ Eaton, Middleton. There was a large demand today for better conformation lambs with Beltex lambs selling to a top of £92 from JC & E Pedley & Sons, Sedbergh. Many more pens of shapely Beltex lambs sold in the late eighties. All Beltex lambs forward averaged £81.22.

Suffolk lambs sold to £88 from JT & A Armitstead, Selside with other Suffolk lambs to £85 from G Hargreaves. Plenty of pens of stronger Suffolk lambs sold around the £80 mark. Cheviot Mule lambs sold to £82.50 from RI Dixon, Low Newton with North Country Mules twice topping at £75 from D & D Huddleston, Wray and H Cook, Witherslack. All Mule lambs forward averaged £71.68.

Horned lambs saw Swaledale tups sell to £48 from KD Harryman, Keswick.

The next sale of Store Lambs will be Thursday, July 30 with an excess of 1,000 entered already.