Covid-19: Balmoral Show in 2021 postponed until September

Northern Ireland's largest agricultural event, the Balmoral Show, has been pushed back to later in 2021 because of Covid.

It will now take place across four days in September rather than the traditional May date.

The 2020 show was cancelled because of the pandemic.

The organisers decided that moving next year's date would allow more time for the easing of Covid restrictions and the rollout of the vaccine.

Alan Crowe of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) said the show was "greatly missed" in 2020 and that its organisers "cannot wait to get planning for 2021".

The Balmoral Show is a huge event in Northern Ireland's farming calendar.

Livestock competitions, machinery displays and Agri-food offerings regularly draw up to 120,000 people to the Maze site near Lisburn.

It had previously been held at the King's Hall site in Belfast.