A WIDE range of countryside information has been brought together in a website to help teachers and farmers.

Launched at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate, the website, www.race-yorkshire.org.uk, is supported by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and Farming And Countryside Education (Face).

The website is the first step in a Rural and Countryside Education project (Race Yorkshire) to create a network of organisations involved in the countryside and environmental education.

President of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Richard Howard-Vyse said: "This is a marvellous initiative which I am sure will be of great value. The website provides a one stop shop for countryside education.

"The society is fully committed to increasing understanding of agriculture and the countryside and the website helps do exactly that."

The website includes pages for teachers and farmers, plus an extensive directory of organisations connected with the countryside. There is also a news section where schools can access information that will support activities in the classroom.

Bill Graham, head of education for Face, said: "Now we have a website template for Race Yorkshire, we hope other regions in the UK will wish to use it to set up similar networks."