A LLANDYSUL farmer has won the John Gittins Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to the Welsh sheep industry - one of the most prestigious prizes in Welsh agriculture.

Lionel Organ has farmed at Tymaen for the past 25 years. He ran a large Charollais flock of 450 ewes for 30 years, and now continues with his Lleyn flock of 200 ewes from 1985.

He has won many competitions, including several champions at the Royal Welsh Show, and his breeding has gone on to win at the Royal Highland Show and at the Great Yorkshire Show.

Mr Organ has judged Charollais sheep at every Royal Show in the UK (twice at the Royal Welsh), judged the Lleyn breed at the 2003 Royal Welsh Show and in 2011, and was honoured to judge the Interbreed Pairs, again at the Royal Welsh Show.

He will be presented with the award at the opening ceremony of the Royal Welsh Winter Fair on Monday, November 28.