THE first maize maze in County Durham opens to the public tomorrow.

Farmers Mark and Jane Gray enlisted the help of leading designer Adrian Fisher to come up with the five-acre spaceship design.

Mr Fisher is described as the world's leading maze designer, having created more than 400 in 23 countries.

The maze, which will stand no more than shoulder-high at its peak, will open to the public between 11am and 6pm every day for six weeks. After that, the maize crop will be harvested and used to feed the farm's herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle.

"Some maize mazes grow 10ft high and more but you can't see anything," said Mr Gray. "We thought it would be more interesting and enjoyable if people could see above it - and see where their children were."

To help achieve that, children will be given a flag to carry so their parents can watch their progress through the puzzle.

Mr and Mrs Gray are tenants of 1,000 acres at Broom House Farm, Witton Gilbert, near Durham City. The field of maize stands 750ft above sea level, at the highest point of the farm.

The maze will include a quiz and, next to it, will be a large, grassy play area with a giant sandpit, bale maze and picnic tables. Visitors will also be able to see round the farm and visit the Saddleback piglets and day-old chicks.

The Grays hope visitors may also call in at their farm shop which sells cuts of beef, lamb, sausages and burgers, all produced on the farm.

The couple were originally tenants on a neighbouring farm but, when the tenancy of Broom House came up, they leapt at the chance to take it on and run the two farms as one.

Although they did not have foot-and-mouth on their own farm, they lost their original stock in a contiguous cull. They then took the opportunity to re-evaluate exactly how they wanted to farm and chose to be self-sufficient, rearing their own replacements and growing their own animal feed so that they have complete control.

They stocked the farm with Aberdeen Angus cattle and Lleyn sheep, both chosen for their quality and hardy nature - vital on such a high farm - and six Saddleback sows and a boar.

A traditional mixed farm, the couple grow barley, beans and wheat to provide feed for the livestock. Any surplus goes to produce whisky.

The Aberdeen Angus now number 120 breeding cows and, with the offspring, the herd totals about 350. They are reared to 24 months, when they go through the Aberdeen Angus Quality scheme to Marks & Spencer.

They keep some heifers for their own farm shop which opened only a few weeks ago. They are sent to Thompson's butchers at Witton-le-Wear, hung for a minimum of 21 days and sold in various cuts on the farm.

"We find people like to come to the farm to buy the meat," said Mrs Gray. "The beef is very popular, people come back for more. Some ring us after their meal to tell us how much they enjoyed it; some say it is the best beef they have ever tasted."

The decision to introduce Lleyn sheep to the farm followed a visit to New Zealand where they were impressed by the self-sufficiency of farmers who bred all their own replacement stock. A few are being crossed with the Suffolk to produce a better carcase for the meat trade.

Most of the sheep are sold at Hexham mart or through North Country Primestock. Those which supply the farm shop are sent to either Thompson's or Jewitt's abattoirs. "We are very fortunate in that they are both just 20 minutes away," said Mrs Gray.

The Saddleback pigs and their offspring provide the sausages and burgers which have again proved popular with customers.

The shop originally only opened on Fridays but, from this weekend, will be open every day for six weeks, while the maze is open.

Mr and Mrs Gray have also just completed converting a nineteenth century stone-built cart shed on the farm into an education centre for school parties, which can also be used for other meetings.

Large and airy, it can provide an eating area, classroom or art workshop and there are full cloakroom facilities. The work attracted 50pc grant aid from Defra's rural enterprise scheme.

The school visits have proved highly successful and include practical activities for the children, linked to the national curriculum.

"We are mainly targeting key stage 2 and 3 science and geography students, but we welcome other groups too and put together a programme for each visit, individually tailored to the needs of teaching staff," said Mrs Gray.

"Our aim is to get schoolchildren on to our modern, working farm to discover the relationship between the countryside, the environment and the food they eat."

Any interested schools can contact the Grays on 0191 371 9697.

* The Broom House Adventure Maze will be signposted from the Witton Gilbert roundabout on the A691 Durham to Consett Road. It is open from 11am to 6pm seven days a week. Admission prices are £4 adults, £3 children or £12 for a family ticket