Well over a thousand visitors flocked to an ancient social gathering of Lake District farmers saved by modern social media last weekend.

Borrowdale Shepherds' Meet is one of the traditional sheep shows and shepherds' gatherings that take place across the Lakes every autumn.

But it's future was hanging in the balance because of a run of several years of bad weather and cancellations.  

That is until an anonymous shepherd with a large following on Twitter, later to be revealed as Lakeland farmer James Rebanks – unmasked as the Herdy Shepherd – on the back of his international hit book A Shepherd’s Life, set about raising money to save it, through a crowd-funding website.

His global following on social media stumped up more than £5,000 in less than a week, which guaranteed the event's survival for years to come.

 "This show is a vital part of Cumbrian lakeland life and important date in the Herdwick breeding calendar.  But all credit should go to the volunteers who put this show together.  I am sure all the people that donated will be delighted that the show will go on for years to come," said James.

Show secretary, Andrew Denley, said the committee had worked hard this year to ensure the Shepherds' Meet went back to its roots.

"We brought in more traditional craft demonstrations, together with children's races and clipping to give visitors a real insight into the heritage of Cumbrian hill farming and its local communities," said Mr Denley.

As well as a sheep show, sheepdog trials and the customary fell race, there was terrier racing and a children's pet competition.

Farmers turned out in droves and brought their best sheep from the two traditional fell breeds, the Herdwick and Swaledale.

But the hotly-contested sheep section saw a scattering of the sheep fast becoming a favourite amongst Cumbrian sheep breeders', the Mule.

This year the Mule championship went to Borrowdale farmer, Robert Edmondson, who won with his six month-old tup.  Along with wife, Val, Robert has this year bred 14- lambs which will be sold at the forthcoming famous Alston Moor sale at Lazonby next week.

"Our winner was sired by a Wescoe tup bred by Jack Lawson, a noted breeder of Bluefaced Leicesters," said Val.

"We like to support the valley show.  It had a spell out because of the weather, and the farmers' are all glad it's back," said Robert.

The couple also took a third in the sheepdog section with their three-year-old bitch, Gyp.  "We bought her as a pup from Rakefoot Farm, and she's been a good one," added Robert.

 Despite a couple of heavy downpours, the Shepherds' Meet, held at Rosthwaite, provided a much- needed end-of-season boost for the local holiday trade.

Farmers and tourists alike jostled for position around the busy sheep pens, with the iconic Lake District sheep, the Herdwick, drawing the most attention, with the crowd hanging onto every word uttered by announcer, Will Rawling, himself a renowned Herdwick sheep breeder from Ennerdale.

"These are both superb sheep," said Will, as local shepherds pushed and pulled the champion Herdwick and champion Swaledale, with tradition demanding they go head-to-head for the ultimate accolade, the Supreme Champion Fell sheep.

After much serious deliberation by the two judges, the coveted title went to David Bland's three-year-old tup.  "We never got a ticket last year, so we are delighted.  It takes a good sheep to win at Borrowdale," said David, from Patterdale.

His 14-year-old grandson, Alex, had earlier taken the sheep through its paces in the final round of the championship.

The Herdwick scored high again in the best sheep bred and owned by a Borrowdale farmer, with the award going to Alan Edmondson, with his ewe, while another member of the Bland family, Jonny took the reserve placing with his Herdwick tup.

Mr Denley said:  "It's been a good day.  There's been a big crowd through the gate, what more could we ask for."