CHRISTMAS came early for the Brown family as they claimed a mart first – taking the top two prizes in both the live and deadweight prime lamb classes at Skipton mart’s festive primestock shows and sales.

Martin and Val Brown, and daughter Hannah, who have recently moved to Dovecote Barn, Leyburn, from Newton-le-Willows, achieved a supreme and reserve championship coup in the live prime lamb show.

Earlier, they won the supreme and reserve champion Beltex lamb carcases. It was the first time such a high profile double – all with Beltex lambs – had been achieved at Skipton.

The family won four of the five lowland classes, with their heavy trimmed pen being awarded the ES Hartley Trophy for the supreme champion pen by judges Thomas Shepherdson, of Marsden, and Martin McIntyre, of Bainbridge.

The 48kg champions attracted bids from no fewer than six different butchers, before quickly rising to £500, with Huntley’s Country Stores of Samlesbury, near Preston, buying them.

Mr Brown said: "It’s quite something to be the first to win champion and reserve in both live and dead categories, so we’re very pleased. They’re really good sheep, and we’ll be selling some more in-lamb here in a couple of weeks."

The Browns, who were reserve champions at both Countryside Live and the Great Yorkshire Show, saw their overall reserve champion pen of lightweight trimmed weighing 38kg fetch £250 each when selling to Anthony Swales, for his Knavesmire Butchers in York.

Their light untrimmed class winners sold at £145 to Anthony Kitson Butchers in Northallerton, and their heavy untrimmed winners at £130 to co-judge and wholesaler Thomas Shepherdson.