A group of cafe owners have brought fast-food to the countryside by opening drive-through teashops.

The ladies - who call themselves Old MacDonald's - thought business at their tea-rooms needed a boost.

Now they have queues of tractor drivers waiting to be served Earl Grey and carrot cake through net-curtained windows.

Cyclists, tourists and hikers are also welcome to home- cooked food on the go if they drop in at the cafes across Cumbria. Alison Marrs, leader of the group, said: "Old Macdonald is better known for his fast-food outlets these days, but we wanted him back on the farm promoting rural tea shops and local produce.

"What people want today is proper home-cooked food, sourced locally where everybody knows where it has come from, what is in it and who has baked it."

Marjorie Dawson, who runs the Greystone House farm shop and tearoom in Stainton, near Penrith, Cumbria, said: "The farmers can ring us up on a hands-free phone, even from the field, and we will have a tasty slice of home-baked cake or pie and a refreshing cup of tea ready - all they have to do is pull up outside and we will bring it out to them.

"The drive-through service is available for tractors and other vehicles - even cyclists, if they only want a quick stop-off. But many walkers and cyclists prefer being able to sit down, have a break and enjoy quality farm-cooked produce."