Yorkshire's most prestigious show should be back with a vengeance next year after foot and mouth forced the cancellation of the 2001 event.

The 2002 Great Yorkshire Show, the 144th, is planned for July 9 to 11.

The organiser, the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, was forced to cancel this year's event only weeks before it was due to start last month.

It had hoped the show could go ahead without the livestock.

The cancellation put an end to a visit by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

A society spokeswoman said: "We are hoping that everything will be back to normal next year.

"This is a very long-running and prestigious show and I don't think this year's cancellation would have put anybody off coming. We are hoping for a successful event next year."

Although the society lost hundreds of thousands of pounds in takings on the gates by cancelling this year's show, it is not expected to affect next year's.

"The society did lose a lot of money, but it will not affect the next show at all," said a spokeswoman.

"The next show will be paid for with the society's internal funds and we are holding the entry prices at the same level as they were going to be this year."

Updated: 08:20 Tuesday, August 14, 2001