A windy day combined with some feisty Mule ewes certainly gave the dogs and handlers a thorough test at Humbleton Farm, Darlington, for Darlington Farmers Auction Mart's working sheep dog sale, where a new centre record of 4000gns was set.

Selling at this price was the 30-month-old bitch, Nan, from S Richards, Pen-Y-Brough View, Lancaster, which heads north to Glasgow with Mrs Janis Ralston, Castleton, buying for her 11-year-old son David.

Mr Richards also sold the second top priced lot at 1700gns, when Grift an 18-month-old dog was purchased by local farmers SR Plumb, Westend Ingleton, Darlington.