AN emergency public appeal to help farmers in rural County Durham has received a £25,000 boost.

The Helping Hands appeal was launched last month in a bid to raise cash to fund practical support for farmers in upper Teesdale struggling with the after-effects of last year's wet summer followed by an unseasonal cold spring.

This resulted in a difficult lambing season and with farmers forced to concentrate full time on their flocks, many have been unable to keep up with the day-to-day tasks of running their business.

The County Durham Community Foundation, which is organising the appeal alongside Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services (Utass), has pledged £25,000 of its cash in addition to the £10,000 already raised.

As well as financing a pool of qualified agriculture workers to help out on farms where needed, the money will also ensure Utass can continue its innovative Farmers of the Future project, which began in 2010.

The scheme aims to encourage more young people into agriculture by teaching them the skills required to run an upland farm.

This includes everything from sheep shearing and basic animal handling and care to tractor driving and farm record keeping.

Barbara Gubbins, chief executive of County Durham Community Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be able to release this amount of funding with the specific aim of helping farmers during this difficult time.

“Working with Utass and taking account of feedback from other farmers, we are investigating how we can best provide support across County Durham now and in the future.

“The knock-on effects of blighted crops and loss of livestock will ultimately take its toll on us all and we need to think long term about solutions and where contributions from donors can have the best impact.”

Anyone wishing to donate directly to the Helping Hands appeal can do so through the County Durham Community Foundation by the following methods:

BACS: Account number 23670894; sort code 52-30-44; Ref FCCA.

Cheques: Payable to County Durham Community Foundation, with reference FCCA on the back.

Online: Go to www.justgiving.com/fcca Text: Text FCCA99 with the amount £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 to 70070.

Any suitably qualified people willing to join the pool of farm workers should contact Diane Spark at Utass on 01833-641010.

For more information on the appeal go to www.cdcf.org.uk/farming-community-appeal