A HARROGATE farmer features in a new short film from British Wool.

“The British Wool Story” tells the fascinating story of wool from the sheep in the field to the point of delivery.

Richard Wilson, a fourth generation sheep farmer of Crimple Head Farm, Beckwithshaw, shows the high level of physical work and skill required in sheep shearing and fleece collection.

It shows the sweat and toil of Richard and his team while shearing sheep – and the skip and jump of freedom that the sheep feel as they are relieved of their heavy fleece in the warmer months of spring and summer.

The film follows on to the grading of the wool at the local depot – a vital process for British Wool, which has the most varied wool clip in the world.

More than 60 different pure breeds of sheep and even more half, cross and rare breeds require skilled graders to examine each and every fleece by hand and eye.

The wool is then scientifically tested in the Wool Testing Authority Europe (WTAE) laboratory to provide accurate data to those buying the wool for textile production.

Finally, the wool is sold at the fully computerised auction held in Bradford, which clears about 30 million kilos of wool every year. Once sold, British Wool is transported to countries across the world to be made in to high-quality flooring, furnishings and apparel.

The film tells a three-minute story of a journey taking over a year and involving many people, highlighting the work of British Wool and the naturally grown fibre’s key processing stages.

Graham Clark, head of marketing, said: “Our unique story shows people the many processes that our sheep farmers and British Wool carry out to enable our fibre to be used in textiles.

“Real people, like Richard, are doing this work every day and our film – which was shot across North Yorkshire and in Bradford and Wales – has captured this remarkable journey to help educate consumers.”