The patter of tiny hooves will be heard for the first time at Keighley Show tomorrow as a new miniature horse class will be introduced.

Cancelled last year due to the foot and mouth crisis, organisers say that this year's show will be bigger and better than ever.

The annual agricultural showpiece event will not feature sheep, cattle or goats, due to continued restrictions on livestock movements, but extra attractions have been scheduled to compensate.

The showing of miniature horses is just one of the new attractions, and has been sponsored by Silsden's Mollie Lilley.

The horses are a special breed called the Falabella, a perfectly proportioned miniature horse resembling a Thoroughbred or Arab.

Mrs Lilley, a Falabella breeder, wanted to help boost the show in the wake of the foot and mouth crisis by sponsoring the new class.

She said: "These horses aren't Shetland ponies, they are an actual breed of miniature horse called Falabella. You can't really have people ride them so the class is an in-hand class, although some people do have tiny carts and drive with them.

"I have five myself -- four horses and a foal -- and breed them. They're lovely looking things and I get a lot of enjoyment out of looking after them.

"I've always been interested in them.

"They're like big dogs -- they're about 29in tall and when people see them they always comment about how tiny they are. They get a lot of attention and it'll be well worth popping along to the show to see."

The show is being staged as normal at Marley fields.

In addition to the regular classes, other new attractions will include a dog show, run by the Worth Valley K9 Care Club, for which entries will be accepted on the day, Morris dancers, children's go-karts, Airedale Beagles and a Young Farmers Club display.

Organisers are also pleased that there will be a much bigger show of vintage tractors than seen in previous years.

Classes which will feature include horses, the flower academy, handicraft and domestic, honey and wax, horticulture, pigeons, poultry and rabbits.

There will be a pet show open to children aged under 16, as well as children's rides, and a host of stalls and trade stands will also be there.

Tickets for the show can be bought in advance priced £4 for adults (£5 on the day), £3 for OAPs and £2 for children aged 5-15, or there is a family admission -- priced £10 -- for two adults and two children. Tickets can be bought from Keighley Information Centre, in the town hall.

There will be free parking at Marley.

For further details about show classes contact secretary Inez Spencer on 01535 645074.

Keighley and District Travel (K&D) is providing an extra shuttle bus service to link the Bus Station and the Railway Station to the Marley showground.

Show Shuttle Service 813 will take passengers right inside the grounds.

The service will depart Keighley Bus Station stand P (National Express coach stand) at 11am and every 20 minutes until 5.40pm.

Buses will call at the stop opposite Keighley Railway Station approximately two minutes later.

Return buses will depart Marley at 11.05am and every 20 minutes until 5.45pm, and will arrive at Keighley Railway Station approximately three minutes later.

The single adult fare will be 50p.