The quick-fire bids of the auctioneer rang out again at Skipton livestock market yesterday, almost a year to the day after the last sale.

Yesterday saw the first cattle auction - of live animals - since the outbreak of the foot and mouth crisis in February last year.

Every seat around the main ring was taken and farmers also stood crammed together in front of the sale area.

Their mood was bright - faces smiling and talk full of banter.

Around 300 farmers had turned up at the Gargrave Road auction mart for the sale of 172 feeding bulls and 153 store cattle

A number of animals were also sold on video screen, a method which was pioneered at Skipton last year during the crisis.

Many farmers were from the Craven area, but there were also farmers from West Yorkshire and some from as far afield as north west Lancashire.

Manager Jeremy Eaton hailed it as a "fantastic success", especially as he feared the latest scare might dampen enthusiasm.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced on Tuesday that suspected cases of foot and mouth had been found in two sheep in North Yorkshire.

But initial tests revealed that the animals were not infected. The official results are expected on Saturday.

"I thought this latest scare might have put people off but it hasn't. The turn out is fantastic," said Mr Eaton.

"People are buying and others are just here to get an idea of how the market is going - to make comparisons."

This week, the auction market at Otley also re-opened for business, with strict bio-security measure in place.

Farmers were still having to cope with new regulations, particularly the 20-day rule which forbids the re-sale or movement of new animals on a farm for 20 days.

And it was also forbidden to carry animals on one vehicle and drop them off at different locations.

"But despite this, we are very happy that at last the farming community can come together at a sale like this," Mr Eaton added.

His comments were echoed by farmers who said one of the benefits of live sales was the chance to meet other farmers and discuss business.

Ron Banks, who farms at Barden, near Skipton said: "Farmers haven't got together like this since the outbreak. It's what a lot of people have missed."

The cattle and sheep farmer said he was not there to buy.

"I'm here to see how the sale goes. This is the best way to judge the value of an animal," he said.

His colleague, Ken Gamble, who farms at Thorpe, near Skipton, lost his herd of cattle and flock of sheep in the summer, a victim of the foot and mouth outbreak in the Skipton area.

"I'm not buying. I'm restocking slowly. A lot of farmers in my position will do the same. Nobody will rush in," he said.

Ken Browes, who farms at Clough House farm, Sutton, near Keighley, brought three heifers to the sale. Two weeks ago, he sold six on video screen.

"Screen selling is only second best. There is nothing to compare with selling live animals at auction to get the most competitive price," he said.

All sale of live animals was banned from early March last year to stop the disease spreading.

And some restrictions still apply. The auction sale of sheep from farm to farm is still forbidden. Sheep can only be sold at auction if they are going direct to slaughter.

Other rules still in place include the disinfecting of premises and vehicles, people must be suitably dressed and there are access restrictions to livestock areas.