It wasn’t only sheep and cattle on offer at York Auction Centre this week. There was a real Yuletide mood with tinsel and baubles. MARY O’CONNOR went along.

YOU wouldn’t expect chandeliers and marquees at a farmer’s market, now would you? Well at Murton this week, that’s precisely what you would have seen, because everyone from farmers and nuns to soldiers and York’s Lord Mayor Julie Gunnell braved the cold to visit York Auction Centre’s annual Christmas market.

Festive tinsel and trimmings were a far cry from the mud-spattered 4x4s and drab containers in the car park. And across an armada of tweed, there was a buzz of anticipation as the announcements of the prize animals approached.

John Thompson, of Green Farm, Middleton, won the trophy for best bull, while Carl Ossett had an early Christmas present when his Texel cross lambs were declared champions. But he shrugged off his morning success: “I suppose I’ll get a trophy or something,” said Carl. He did.

Coming from four generations of farmers, Carl rears around 700 sheep at Sand Hutton.

Much like the chandeliers, Sister Margaret Ann of Howsham Church parish was an unexpected feature at the day’s events. “It’s a lovely occasion,” she said. “One that brings everyone together.”

Indeed it did. And while Sister Margaret normally comes for the “wonderful characters at the market”, this time she had her eye on something else: cakes, and perhaps even a slice of pork pie.

But the social mood of the day wasn’t shared by all. “It’s just another day, another working day,” said one farmer.

And so to business. The atmosphere gradually swelled from an understated hum to a fury of bidding accompanied by the clipped tones of auctioneer, Edward Stephenson.

Each number he called corresponded to the amount in pence per kilo of each animal. The cattle at this market were bound for the Christmas table.