TOP DOG RECORD: A top price of £1,875 broke records at Kendal Auction Mart’s ninth annual sheep dog sale at New Hutton on Saturday.

The top price was paid for a stylish 15-month old black-and-white bitch called Mossy from Tony Birkett out of his excellent Dam, Lady. Buyers from all over the UK were at the sale of 35 working collies and pups from local breeders.

Working dogs averaged £857 with unbroken puppies at £150, peaking at £300 fro a three-month-old dog. The event raised £147 for the Macmillan Cancer Relief from the sale of catalogues.

GM CROPS PROTEST: South Lake-landers will be among thousands of people protesting against the introduction of GM crops at the Tractors and Trolleys Parade in London next Monday. Anti GM campaigner Marianne Bennett from Friends of the Earth will join protesters visiting NFU headquarters and DEFRA on the route. Mrs Bennett, who led the successful campaign to get Cumbria County Council and the Lake District National Park Authority to opposed GM crops and food under their control, believes that if GM maize varieties were introduced as fodder in this area, farmers’ fields of maize could become devoid of important native wildlife such as hares, red-legged partridge, butterflies and other species.