RICHARD Wellock is a familiar face to generations of farmers across Craven.

Until this year, he had never missed a week at Skipton Auction Mart, where he sits, with the other retired farmers in what he calls 'God's waiting room'.

Ask him the price a lamb fetched that morning and he'd tell you to the penny - at 90 his memory's still as sharp as ever.

And Mr Wellock's son Brian said: "I reckon they wouldn't start without him."

Friends and family know Mr Wellock for his sense of fun, his love of teasing and being teased and his dedication to the land his family have farmed at Aire Bridge, Bell Busk, since 1918.

Short in stature, but large in personality, Mr Wellock says he likes nothing more than 'acting daft' with his great grandchildren.

One of the family's treasured memories is when he took the vicar of Kirkby Malham to an auction. The vicar was a rather exuberant man who waved his arms about when he talked. Mr Wellock colluded with the auctioneer who duly announced the sale of several sheep to the cleric.

Married to Betty, who died 17 years ago, Mr Wellock has four children, nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren. His children all followed the family trade and farm in Craven. Members of his family from all over the country joined Mr Wellock to celebrate his 90th birthday in Gargrave Village Hall on Saturday.

Mr Wellock has lived in Gargrave for the past 11 years, but his home and heart lies in Bell Busk. Pictures of his farm adorn the walls of his home, and he regularly attends local agricultural shows.

He is a past president and lifetime supporter of Coniston Young Farmers Show, and Malham Show and he also attends Kilnsey on a less frequent basis.

"This is the first year I have missed Coniston show since it started," Mr Wellock said.

Exempt from active service during the war, Mr Wellock played his part by watching out for aeroplanes at Johnson and Johnson, in Gargrave. Farming life has had its ups and downs and Mr Wellock remembers losing half his stock during the great snows of 1947.

Principally a sheep farmer, Mr Wellock also reared beef and milk cattle, and during the war grew oats.

He retired from farming in 1990, at the age of 79 when managing the farm became too much. But years of farming have kept Mr Wellock fit and he is as sprightly as a man of much younger years with a wicked sense of humour.

A love of Scottish dance music grew from twice yearly trips to Oban and Mr Wellock admits he was quite a mover in his time.

It has been a sad year for Mr Wellock, all of his children have been affected by the foot and mouth outbreak and his beloved auction mart has had to halt its livestock sales.

The retired farmers have continued their traditional meetings and now meet at the Cross Keys in East Marton, but Mr Wellock will be glad to see the day when he can take up his seat once more at the mart.

o Mr Wellock wanted to thank all family, friends and neighbours who gave donations to Airedale Hospital instead of presents. The family raised in excess of £400 for equipment for the diagnosis and care of cancer patients. Mr Wellock's wife, Betty, died of cancer.