Royal Northern Agricultural Society president Billy Stewart welcomed their patron, The Princess Royal to the Spring Show on Wednesday at an event which saw several thousand visitors attending.

The event has been hailed as a great success by the organisers having attracted a record entry of over 150 exhibitor stands.

School strikes also proved a mixed blessing, with the normal attendance of school groups on supported visits curtailed but many more children attending along with family members.

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Aside from the packed ringsides of exhibitors and spectators, there were a plethora of other related competitions and activities on offer, including the SWI and young farmers produce, fodder and vegetable competitions and out in the show yard the equestrian events which drew competitors from across the country.

Speaking during the event Princess Anne praised the efforts of the Society and said: "The RNAS continues to provide the information and support that we need across the farming sector and its work is invaluable."

The show also provided an opportunity for several long service awards to be made, with 11 handed out for a total of 415 years between the,, nine of which were to staff members of HRN Tractors.

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