The foot and mouth crisis has claimed yet another North Yorkshire agricultural event - the Bilsdale Show has been cancelled.

It is the third show this week to have been called off. Thornton-le-Dale Show fell victim on Wednesday and yesterday the Huby and Sutton Show was axed.

Meanwhile organisers of other agricultural shows due to take place this summer are meeting in coming weeks to decide whether to carry on regardless of the foot and mouth epidemic.

Many shows which were due to take place in early summer have already been cancelled because of fears of spreading the disease.

If restrictions are still in place, shows would be forced to take place without any livestock.

This week the organisers of the Thornton-le-Dale Show announced their intention to cancel and yesterday the Huby and Sutton Show was called off.

Lucy Tinsley, secretary of the Farndale Show, which takes place on August 27, said things were "still on hold".

"At the moment we are going on as if it is still going ahead but we are planning to make a firm decision in June," she said.

"No one knows if the disease is still going to be around then so we'll just have to wait and see."

Alison Dent, secretary of the Kildale Show, due to be held on September 1, said a meeting between organisers was pending.

She added: "Our show is at the end of the season so we might get away with it - hopefully by then the foot and mouth crisis will be over.

"We are considering staging it without any cloven-hoofed animals but we'll just have to wait and see what happens."

The Great Yorkshire Show will go ahead, but without livestock.

The North Yorkshire County Show, in Northallerton, was cancelled a month ago.

Malton shows have already been cancelled, and a decision on Ryedale show is expected to be made early next week.

Organisers of the Ryedale Arts Festival have said the event is still on with plans for alternative venues in place if needed.

A spokesman for Danby Show said: "We are on the verge of making a decision and the result will be announced very soon."

A spokesperson for Masham Sheep Fair said: "I don't know quite what has been planned. It looks unlikely that live sheep will be there but they are trying to find a way round that so the event can go ahead."

A spokesman for Rosedale Show said: "It is a very difficult decision to have to make but we are meeting on Monday when we will try to make it.

"I can't pre-empt that meeting."

At Ryedale Folk Museum a spokesperson said the maypole dancing day on May 7 was going ahead but the Rare Breeds Day on June 17 was "very likely to be cancelled".

In Pickering, a classic car show on June 10 is cancelled but a traction engine rally in early August is still on.

Updated: 15:56 Friday, April 27, 2001