More than 100,000 sheep will be sold at auction marts throughout Cumbria this week – the highest figure since before the foot and mouth crisis.On one day alone, 22,500 animals will come under the auctioneer’s hammer in Britain’s largest sale of north of England mule ewe lambs at Lazonby Mart.Auctioneers are expecting buyers from all corners of the country to gather at the sale tomorrow, which is due to last 11 hours.Sheep numbers on the day are expected to top pre foot-and-mouth sales, although prices are expected to slump by 10 per cent.“It’s good news for the industry. The numbers at this sale are the biggest since the year 2000,” said Harrison & Hetherington auctioneer Ted Ogden.

Posted: 09|28|05 at 7:50 am. Filed under: UK News.