Marchers take message to town

They were among 400,000 demonstrators who converged on the capital for the Countryside Alliance's Liberty and Livelihood rural rights march.

Chairman of the Countryside Alliance John Jackson said: "It's the largest march for a demonstration of any kind that this country has seen. Anyone who thinks that this is just about hunting must be living on a different planet."

Countryside campaigners bought the city to a standstill while protesting at the threat to the traditional rural way of life.

Ben Barker, of Manor House Farm, Whitwell, Northallerton, is one of the thousands of countrymen who feel the widening gap between town and country.

His family have farmed the same land for 150 years and he wants the government to show them respect and listen to their needs.

He said: "I have seen a lot of decline over the last 15 years both financially and in terms of support.

"The Government has very little respect for farmers in general. We are implied as being a greedy, non-sensitive industry, which is far from the truth.

"We need the support from the top - not just financial, but moral. If the support continues to decline then there won't be a farming industry."

Mr Barker didn't just march for support but for a chance to express his anger over how Government blunders have added to the misery of the farmer's plight.

He said: "They dealt with the whole foot-and-mouth crisis very badly. The closure of the countryside affected an amazing number of people in the community, not just farmers but tourists and local services."

Mr Barker went to London with his wife Sarah and sons Jack, six and Sam, five.

He said: "You can't stand up and be counted if they have already pulled the rug from under your feet. We had to do something while there was still time.

"I did this for the long-term interests of farming. All we want now is a level playing field - we can compete with the best of them."