ROTARY clubs have raised £40,000 to help farmers hit by flash floods.

The money, which is being used to renew fences and walls washed away in the June 19 flood, came in response to an appeal by the president of the Malton and Norton club, Les Chapman.

His call came after seeing the devastation caused to farmers in Hawnby, Boltby, Snilesworth and Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe.

Mr Chapman and the Rotary district governor, Chris Garner, have now visited farmers in Snilesworth to hand over cheques from money raised by the 79 clubs in the district, as well as several from outside the region who gave their support after the nationwide publicity of the floods.

Mr Garner said: "It was an incredible amount to have raised, which shows how much Rotary was concerned for the farmers who have suffered tremendous hardship as a result of the floods."

Stan Sayer, of Plane Tree Farm, who has farmed at Snilesworth since 1970, said he was still repairing fences and walls. He lost 20 head of cattle in the flood.

"One of our biggest problems now is that livestock strayed as a result of the fences being demolished and they are still tending to stray."