IT'S A NO SHOW

The show, which attracts around 30,000 people to the town every year, has been cancelled for the first time in its 104-year history.

Thousands of members of the farming community come to take part or visit the show every year and show secretaries, George and Adrian Lawrence, adjudged the risk of spreading the foot and mouth disease too great.

The pair have been watching the developments of the foot and mouth epidemic since February and were hoping the crisis would be over by the time the show was due to take place on Wednesday, July 25.

However, in a statement released earlier this week the organisers said: "With the truly agricultural nature of the event and with a national and international following, the Council of Directors of the Nantwich Agricultural Society have decided to cancel the 2001 event.

"The Show Management in this decision wish to emphasise their support to all farmers, MAFF, MFU and connected industries in their fight to eradicate the scourge at the earliest possible time."

Adrian Lawrence added: "We have been keeping an eye on the foot and mouth crisis.

"We waited until the end of April at which point we could not wait any longer and had to say yes or no to cancellation.

The show is run by Nantwich Agricultural Society at a cost of around £300,000 a year and has been running continuously since 1897.

"If the foot and mouth had cleared up it would have been fine but we could not afford to go ahead and possibly have to cancel nearer the time," Mr Lawrence added.

The organisers now face the arduous task of contacting all those involved with the show and informing them of the cancellation.

Mr Lawrence and his colleagues are also beginning work on the 2002 Nantwich Show which has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 31, 2002.

"We will be working to re-establish the show as the biggest one-day agricultural show in the country and the largest cheese show in the world," Mr Lawrence added.

Outgoing leader of Nantwich Town Council, Cllr Steve Hope, said the cancellation of the show was a huge blow for the town.

"It is absolutely huge, the show brings in 30,000 visitors into the town and surrounding areas, it is totally disappointing from the point of view of Nantwich businesses," he said.

"It must have been a difficult decision for them to make, they were between a rock and a hard place," he added.

"We will just have to hope that the 2002 show will be bigger, perhaps holding it over two days could be an option.

"It is a tremendous blow but we have to take all precautions against foot and mouth," Cllr Hope added.

If anyone would like further information about the cancellation of the show they can contact 780306.

* The Nantwich Rally, held on the Shropshire Union Canal running through the town, has also been cancelled to help fight the foot and mouth outbreak.

The rally, which is organised by the Shropshire Union Canal Society, was due to take place on June 23 and 24.

The Lockwind at Cholmondeston between May 25 and 28 has also been cancelled leaving the society's fund-raising for this year severely affected.

Society secretary, Richard Hall, said: "The waterways are very dependent on good relations with farmers and in present circumstances it was thought we should not add to their anxiety for the health of their animals, especially as there are animals at pasture adjacent to both of the event sites."

By Pete Henshaw