A record number of former farmyard favourites will be on display when Ryedale Folk Museum stages its annual Rare Breeds Day on Sunday.

Among the rare poultry on show at the Hutton-le-Hole attraction will be a Yorkshire pheasant fowl and a Scots dumpy - otherwise known as a Scotch grey - belonging to Ron Foster, of Rosedale.

Museum curator Martin Watts said the Yorkshire pheasant fowl was an indigenous variety once common in the North of England. The Scots dumpy is even more scarce, as only about 30 birds are thought to survive in Britain.

Mr Watts said: "There are so few Scots dumpys left that they are almost off the scale of rarity."

Also on show on Sunday will be Clarissa the Shetland sheep, who belongs to Alan and Wendy Bradshaw.

"The Shetland sheep is a real success story from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust's point of view," Mr Watts said.

"Although they are still rare, due to the efforts of the trust they are no longer considered to be on the brink of extinction."

Mr Watts said more than 40 different rare breeds would feature in this weekend's event.

"We've got more animals than ever coming this year, which is marvellous because it's the 25th anniversary of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust."

Other rare breeds of sheep making an appearance, between 10am and 5.30pm, will include the Manx Loughton, Leicester longwool, Wensleydale and Balwen.

Old varieties of pig such as the Gloucester Old Spot, Middle White and Tamworth will be on show, as well as British White, Highland and Longhorn cattle.

Demonstrations of traditional skills such as sheep shearing, spinning, weaving and blacksmithing will also take place.

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