The return of the Royal Welsh dog show is being welcomed

The dog event has not taken place since the Royal Welsh was cancelled in 2001 because of the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

Last summer organisers were criticised for banning dogs from the showground at Llanelwedd near Builth Wells.

They said the dog ban - excluding guide dogs - was made on health and safety grounds as unleashed pets had caused "chaos" in animal sheds.

There had also been cases when visitors had been bitten during the Royal Welsh, the premier agricultural event in Wales which regularly attracts crowds of 250,000.

But now the dog show is being revived as part of the Royal Welsh's two-day smallholder and garden festival held in May.

People who go to a dog show want to see dogs not a load of tractors Lisa Parry, Royal Welsh Show winner

Lisa Parry from Cwmbran, south east Wales who has won awards for showing her spaniels at the Royal Welsh, has welcomed the move.

"I was disgusted when they decided to stop people taking their dogs on the showground," she said.

"But I think it is a good idea to hold the dog show in May.

"People who go to a dog show want to see dogs not a load of tractors."

The event, run under Kennel Club rules will have 222 classes, and is expected to attract about 1500 entries.

Sporting breeds will be judged on the first day of the festival on 15 May and non-sporting dogs the next day.