A REAL ale named after the first witnessed UK meteorite fall has been launched by two Yorkshire Wolds farmers, close to where that meteorite hit the earth more than 200 years ago.

Tom Mellor and Derek Gray have set up the diversification project with a difference thanks to a £48,000 Rural Enterprise Scheme grant from Defra.

Mr Mellor, from Hunmanby Grange, Wold Newton, and his neighbour and colleague, have set up Wold Top Brewery in a converted 19th century granary at Hunmanby Grange. There they are brewing two new real Yorkshire ales, Falling Stone and Wold Top Bitter, using their own barley and water drawn from a borehole on the farm.

Falling Stone is a dark, full-bodied premium ale, called after the spot, commemorated by a monument on Mr Gray's land, where the meteorite fell to earth on December 13, 1795. It penetrated a foot of soil, embedded itself seven inches into the chalk bedrock and created an impact pit more than a yard across. The stone is now in the British Museum.

"I've been a real ale fan since my student days and one day it occurred to me that we have 95pc of the ingredients - water and barley - available here on the farm," said Mr Mellor. "Derek was very enthusiastic about the project too and we thought we could definitely make a success of it. We're both really grateful to Defra for the grant; it's helped to turn the dream into reality.

"My grandfather bought this farm in 1945 but, before the war, he ran a large coaching inn on the edge of the Pennines, so I guess I'm following a family tradition."

Mr Mellor farms 230 hectares of arable land and keeps 20,000 free-range hens on the Yorkshire Wolds. Mr Gray farms 110 arable hectares as well as 250 beef cattle.

Used grains from the brewing process will be re-cycled as cattle feed, ensuring minimum waste from the whole operation.

The two new ales will be available in the cask or bottle and will be sold through local pubs, hotels, off-licences and at local shows, as well as directly to the public through Mr Gray's bed and breakfast business and to parties of summer visitors to Hunmanby Grange's gardens and nursery.

Visitors to the gardens will be offered a guided tour of the brewery.

Steve Dunkley, Defra project officer, said: "This is definitely one of our more unusual diversification projects. We always advise people to identify their existing resources alongside their strengths and interests when considering a diversification project, and Wold Top Brewery is an excellent example of this.

"It is also anticipated that the project will create one part-time and three full-time jobs, which is great news for the local economy. We wish Tom and Derek every success with their new business."