The top price paid for a lamb at the Easter show and sale at Hereford Market was £134 – believed to be the best ever.

There were 197 on offer and they averaged £96.81 each. For the best lambs, the price per live kilo was £3.62 and the others averaged £2.60.

“I believe it was the dearest we have ever seen,” said market auctioneer Richard Hyde.

Lamb always fetched a better price at this time of year because butchers liked to offer the meat to customers for the Bank Holiday weekend, he said, but this year was exceptional. Mr Hyde said supply and demand was the key factor in continuing high prices.

The winning pen of lambs came from Messrs B Blandford and Sons, Netherton, Eastnor.