A FARM shop which started life as a wheel barrow in a garden has secured planning permission to develop a full butcher's shop, bakery and tea room.

Bert's Barrow, near Selby, is set for further expansion having already grown into a hub for local producers.

The venture was borne out of charitable beginnings having been launched 15 years ago as a way to raise funds for a defibrillator for the village of Hillam.

The brainchild of villagers Ian (known as Bert) Thompson and his wife Marlene, it started life as an old barrow that was dressed with local produce and left at the front of the family farm with an honesty box.

Over the years more and more people stopped by Bert's Barrow and Mr and Mrs Thompson continued to source produce from as near to them as possible.

The couple's son Jason said: "Sadly, two years ago Dad died. This made it very difficult for Mum to carry on by herself in the business that they had built together.

"We couldn't let the legacy of Bert's Barrow pass away with him, so me and my wife, Charlotte Wells-Thompson, stepped forward take on the baton in March last year.

"We gradually built up our delivery rounds, taking fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables to people across an ever-expanding area as well as encouraging visitors to call by and choose their own selections."

Mrs Wells-Thompson added: "By November, we were in a position to open up a barn to create a farm shop and added marmalades, jams, chutneys, cheese, bread, milk and local honey to our fruit and vegetable offering.

"We have so many plans to build on the success of the business and we are delighted to reveal that we now have planning permission to develop a full butcher's shop, bakery and tea room.

"However, we are doing everything in carefully planned stages so that work will not commence until next year."

Bert's Barrow farm shop business features a veg box scheme, and is a hub for local producers, including Joe from The Real Catch with fresh fish every Wednesday and Guild of Q butchers, C & G Starkey from Sherburn-in-Elmet.

The Easter, Bert's Barrow became a stockist for award-winning Yorvale ice cream, produced at Acaster Malbis.

Mrs Wells-Thompson said: "Yorvale ticks all the boxes for us. It's a local, family-owned, farm-based business that makes delicious ice cream from all natural ingredients and it's selling really well.

"We are passionate about sourcing local produce and collect from the local growers farms, usually out of the field.

"We are rearing our own lamb this year as well as free range eggs, and have a small selection of strawberries, raspberries, gooseberry, redcurrants, plums and apples. We will be also be growing vegetables in the future."