AN Ilkley woman has triumphed in the first Northern Scythe Competition held for four years.

Ruth Pullan impressed the judges with a strong combination of speed and technique in the competition which celebrates the art of hand-mowing and gives novices the change to have a go at the centuries-old way of cutting grass.

Hand-mowing with scythes would once have been a common sight across the country, but as more farm machinery was introduced the practice almost died out in the UK.

The Northern Scything Competition took place in the Bell Sykes wildflower hay meadows near Slaidburn – a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Coronation Meadow site for Lancashire.

With their scythes at the ready, and plenty of encouragement from the spectators, the competitors set to work on their three-metre square patches of uncut grass.

As well as speed, the judges were looking for quality in the form of an even cut, close to the ground and without any tufts of grass left behind.

William De Hamel from Chorley won the award for Best Quality Mowing, while Peter Blackwell – the owner of Bell Sykes meadow – triumphed in the speed competition with his time of 3 minutes and 47 seconds. The women’s' competition was won by Ruth Pullan of Ilkley.

Earlier in the year Peter and Ruth enjoyed success at the National Scything Championship in Somerset, where they each received Best Newcomer medals.

After the competitions, everyone helped to strew out the cut grass so it could dry into hay – even the resident chickens came to help, hoping to uncover a slug or snail amongst the grass.

Bowland Hay Time project officer Sarah Robinson said: “It’s fantastic to see a revival in traditional skills. Thanks to the meadow restoration and education work I’m involved in at Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) and the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, lots more people are now learning about the traditions of Hay Time and these hand mowing techniques.”