A sexism row has broken out after organisers of a 100-year-old 'men-only' farmers dinner voted to still ban women - despite females sitting on the committee.

The Dartmouth Fatstock Show award ceremony is held annually and sees farmers of both sexes compete with cattle, sheep and poultry.

Prizes are distributed to everyone at an afternoon ceremony before a posh hotel dinner where they are presented again - which women are banned from attending.

Female farmers attending the Dartmouth Fatstock Show in Devon have been banned from a subsequent awards dinner as it has traditionally been an 'all-male affair'

Farmer Chloe Quantick, pictured at the show with one of her prize winning cattle said: 'I think they should get with modern times and let the women come'

Instead women - including one female mayor - are told they can send a man to pick up their award for them.

Several female farmers have branded the move as 'sexist' and 'outdated' and have pleaded to be allowed to attend.

But they were left furious after their views were ignored when the show's committee for voted to maintain the exclusion ahead of the ceremony in the Devon held on Tuesday.

The Dartmouth Young Farmers Association currently has more female than male members, and there are four women on the show committee of 17..

The vote caused uproar with one farmer resigning in protest at the decision not to enact change.

Show chairman, Phil Bond, defended the stance, describing the event as 'a tradition and how it has always been done.'

Farmer Chloe Quantick, won two championships at this year's show but was blocked from attending the ceremony.

She said that women should be allowed to attend and that organisers had to 'get with the times'.

She added: 'I think they should get with modern times and let the women come.

'They need to stop being a bit sexist and let us in there, because we can have a good laugh just as much as men can, so in my opinion we should be allowed to go.'

Gwen Renfree, pictured with her award-winning sheep would not be permitted to attend the gala dinner to celebrate the annual Dartmouth Fatstock Show

Fatstock show chairman Phil Bond said: 'That's the tradition, that's the way it always has been done. I've got the support and the backing from the committee to carry on'

Another committee member Jessica Perry said the female ban was 'very outdated now'.

She said: 'It would be nice if we could move with the 21st Century.

'But that's something that as a group and as a committee the Fatstock show will have to discuss and hopefully move with the times.'

The ban even stretches to official representatives and former female mayor Debbie Morris was told a male representative would have to attend in her place when she was in the ceremonial role.

She described it as an 'old tradition' and said: 'They like to have a raucous evening.

'Perhaps they feel the ladies wouldn't approve.'

Defending the ban, Mr Bond said: 'That's the tradition, that's the way it always has been done. I've got the support and the backing from the committee to carry on.

'If in the future that changes as a democracy or as a vote within the committee that will carry on.'

He added that he believed 'ladies are really not bothered' and he would rather keep out of the 'petty argument of it all'.