A BELEAGUERED rural community recovering from the devastation of foot-and-mouth has held its first farmers' market since the epidemic began.

Shoppers in Teesdale have been without their regular monthly farmers' market for almost six months.

But despite its lengthy absence from the town, its return on Saturday still attracted visitors from around the country.

Shoppers from as far away as Wales attended the event, which featured only local traders selling goods from surrounding farms and businesses.

Organiser Cathie Tinn said: "To many producers these markets are a lifeline - their main source of income. However, since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth, this lifeline has been cut.

"It is clear that the public like the idea of farmers' markets and are directly supporting farming and rural businesses in Weardale and Teesdale."

Since the outbreak began, trade has dropped in Teesdale and Weardale, with the usual farmers' markets replaced by producers' markets which could only sell limited goods.