THE annual Truro Primestock Show took place on Wednesday, with a touching charity sale at its heart.

A Beltex x Charollais ewe lamb was sold 13 times over by Devon farmer Andrew Pedrick, with the combined proceeds of £5,660 being split between the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK.

Mr Pedrick was keen to raise funds for and awareness of these causes, having suffered four heart attacks and been diagnosed with prostate and blood cancer this year. The lamb’s final owner was nine-year-old farmer Charles Harfoot of Trefrinnick Farm, Bray Shop near Callington; the fourth generation of his family on the farm, he intends to breed the ewe lamb and start his own flock.

Charles’ father, John, put two bids in for the lamb, paying a total of £810 to charity. “I’ve had cancer and heart trouble myself, so I like to do my bit for charity – and it was fun,” he said,

“It’s nice that the lamb is going to the next generation – Charles’ great-grandfather used to show at Truro. The auctioneer gave it to him because it could have gone on all afternoon.”

It was a great day for brothers Craig and Oliver Penellum from Trispen, who claimed the supreme and local championship with 580kg South Devon heifer Blossom, who was purchased by Wilton Family Butchers in St Columb for £2,784 (480p/kg).

They also took the reserve supreme and reserve local champion with 734kg Limousin cross British Blue heifer Missy, who sold to Dales Family Butchers in Helston for £3,376.40 (460p/kg).

Supreme champion pair of lambs went to Paul and Lin Calcraft from Payhembury, Devon for their 47kg Beltex lambs, sold for £166.85 (355p/kg) to Primrose Butchery of Truro. The reserve champion was handed to Gwen Renfree from Altarnun with her 47.5kg pair of Beltex lambs, selling for £152 (320p/kg) to RJ Trevarthen Ltd in Penryn.