TWO of North Yorkshire's thriving new businesses helped celebrate the best of British food and drink at an annual exhibition this week.

Showcased at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) headquarters in London, Foodwise 2003 highlighted different opportunities for farmers to diversify.

The event featured Springhill Pure Spring Water, from Fylingdales, and McIntyre Meats, from Bainbridge, two producers which have branched out with the help of funding from Defra.

Two Rural Enterprise Scheme grants were awarded to Richard Blomfield and his son, Andrew, of Springfield Farm, to help develop their spring water bottling enterprise in 2001.

Mr Blomfield said: "Diversification is all about how you think. An idea does not need to be as radical as Springhill Water, but it has to fill a gap in the market."

Martin and Lyndsey McIntyre also received funding from Defra to help provide an abattoir facility in the Dales capable of preparing conventionally reared and organic stock.

The abattoir, which became fully operational in September, would not have been possible without the £260,000 grant.