Customers will get the chance to buy fresh food direct from farmers at two new markets in the York area.

Wild boar and honey will be on sale alongside traditional Yorkshire beef, pork and lamb from farmers and smallholders from the surrounding area.

The first, on Saturday, is being held at the York Livestock Centre in Murton, York, and the second next Wednesday in Parliament Street, York.

Richard Tasker, auctioneer and partner at York Livestock Centre, said the Murton market would be held once a month.

"Farmers' markets are intended to enable local producers to sell their goods direct to customers and in circumstances which can promote dialogue and understanding between the producer and the customer," he said.

"At our market customers can go along and ask farmers how they have grown the food they are buying and whether they have used chemicals or not."

He said vegetables and eggs at the market would have been picked or laid within 24 hours before sale.

Other items on sale from 20 producers from within a 30-mile radius would include venison, ostrich, wild boar sausages and home-made produce, preserves and crafts.

The York market will be a pilot event held during the York Festival of Food and Drink and is being organised by the City of York Council.

Markets manager Paul Barrett said he had had a similarly healthy response from producers wanting to take part and said stalls would include wild boar, frozen yoghurt, ice cream and honey as well as beef, pork, lamb and vegetables.

"It's the first time we've brought the country into the city of York. We want to see what response we get. It will be centre stage in the Food and Drink Festival and we will see how we get on."

He said 20 stallholders were taking part from a 40-mile radius of York.

Simon Baynes, who runs a fruit and vegetable stall on Newgate Market in York, said competition provided by a famers' market in Murton would be a good thing.

Butcher David Swain said Parliament Street markets took a fair chunk out of his weekend trade. He said: "When visitors come they immediately think that York Market is just in Parliament Street."

The York farmers' market, on September 22, runs from 9am until 5pm.

The Murton market, onSaturday, runs from 9am until 2pm.

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