North Yorkshire farmers campaigning for the lifting of the beef-on-the-bone ban are planning to lobby London's Smithfield Market in seven weeks' time.

About 200 farmers are expected to join the protest on Tuesday, December 1, which is being organised by the action group Nidderdale Angry Farmers.

They will travel down to London in the early hours following a disco to be held on the night of Monday, November 30, at the Drovers Inn at Bishop Thornton, between Harrogate and Ripon.

The protest has been galvanised by Chris Bowman, 36, the chef at the Drovers, who has elected to be tried by a jury at York Crown Court following his appearance before Harrogate magistrates on a charge of selling beef on the bone.

When Mr Bowman first appeared in court, Harrogate town centre was invaded by farmers driving tractors and Land Rovers.

More than 6,500 people have also signed a petition backing the farmers' campaign.

Spokesman Mike Bury said: "We are laying on four free coaches to take our supporters to the meat market.

"We have already won a tremendous amount of support for our campaign, but we want to widen it even further and we thought Smithfield would be a very appropriate place.

Meanwhile North Yorkshire farmers are being offered a special hand helping with the increasing problems of working on the land.

The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) is staging a week of events to show farmers there is someone who understands their problems and can help.

Its chief executive Richard Duckett said many farmers are unaware that the organisation can help working families as well as the retired and disabled.

"Too few people appreciate the devastating effect that the growing financial crisis is having on an increasing number of farming families.

"Since we launched the RABI confidential helpline in April we have been receiving a steadily increasing number of calls.

"As a result we have been able to support families through immediate crises, helping with such things as outstanding household bills, in many cases preventing essential services from being cut off.

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