A FARM holiday group is looking forward to a brighter year.

Foot-and-mouth hit the tourism trade hard last year but there are now promising signs of a return to normality.

"People seem keen to get back into the countryside and are pleased to be back," said June Wearmouth of Rose Hill Farm, Eastgate in Weardale, who is a member of the Durham and Its Dales Farm Holiday Group, part of the national Farmstay UK organisation.

The local group has 24 members who offer self catering and bed and breakfast breaks on farms in an area from Alston to Sedgefield and Teesdale to Chester-le-Street.

Mrs Wearmouth and her husband, George, only opened their own farm to holidaymakers in 2000. They saw potential in a range of dilapidated buildings attached to the farmhouse and converted them into accommodation which includes five en suite bedrooms, capable of sleeping up to 14 people in total.

The farm, a cattle and sheep enterprise, stands 1,100 feet above sea level and provides wonderful views along Weardale and the valley below.

Visitors, particularly children, are welcome to see the stock at first hand and see some of the daily tasks. There are also walks to be enjoyed.

The first year was very much a case of testing the water and the Wearmouths were encouraged by the way it went, but last year was altogether different with the farm closed to visitors from February until the end of July.

"It was awful," said Mrs Wearmouth. " We just sat tight and prayed we did not fall victim to foot-and-mouth."

They tentatively re-opened in August-September. Business began to pick up steadily, with a lot of demand for short breaks in December-January.

"People were very keen to get back into the countryside and whereas there used to be a closed season we now find a demand all the year round," said Mrs Wearmouth, whose son Christopher, 16, hopes to join the farm while 18-year-old William is studying politics.

Many guests also expect an evening meal, particularly if they have enjoyed a day out walking, and Mrs Wearmouth was one of 12 group members who recently completed a catering course with that in mind.

"It was a case of giving us some meal ideas and a broader range of skills," said Mrs Wearmouth.

The course was run by Liz Curry, owner of the nearby Horsley Hall Country House Hotel, whose own business was also hard hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Apart from holiday accommodation - the hotel has five diamonds from the English Tourist Board - Horsley Hall is extremely busy with weddings, seminars, business and training courses. It is also popular with shooting parties.

But in March last year it had guests on only eight nights and lost 40pc of its business during the crisis - 15pc of which was due to cancelled training courses.

Mrs Curry and Mrs Wearmouth came up with the catering course idea when attending a meeting held for farmers and businesses affected by foot-and-mouth.

Business Link County Durham identified funding available from the regional development agency and the course went ahead.

"We all work in partnership with each other," said Mrs Curry. "I ran the course illustrating the quality experience we were offering to our guests - give them good quality accommodation and tremendous food and make their holiday experience that much better."

The course proved such a success that Horsley Hall is now offering cookery course holidays of varying lengths and ability throughout the year.

The idea is that, as well as improving their cookery skills, those taking part will still have time to do their own thing and enjoy the area.

John Atkinson, business improvement consultant at Business Link County Durham, was delighted to help with the course.

"Farmers in this area were hit hard by foot-and-mouth but these women have taken a positive step to carry on and improve their product in the face of ruin," he said.

"They are gearing up for what we hope will be a great season for local holidays this year as British people decide to look closer to home for their holidays. County Durham farm holidays and bed and breakfast will be a tasty alternative."

Rose Hill Farm can be contacted on 01388 517209 and Horsley Hall is on 01388 517239