Healthy-eating campaigners are planning to expand local produce markets in a bid to offer crisis-hit farmers a lifeline.

Members of the Bradford District Food Information Trust (B-FIT) are setting up an independent company to run direct sales of farmers' goods across the district.

And they have applied for charitable status to fund advice on new opportunities for agricultural businesses.

The aim is to help farmers hit by foot and mouth to boost their incomes by diversifying.

B-FIT was set up three years ago by a group of consumers to promote healthy eating.

The non-profit making organisation currently runs a monthly local produce market in Bingley, offering a range of goods from organic vegetables and plants to eggs and farm-made dairy ice-cream.

But new plans include a series of seminars and a project manager to educate farmers on new opportunities and to encourage them to diversify.

The markets will be run by a separate company with full time producers and volunteers, and will aim to attract farmers and customers from Airedale to Calderdale.

B-FIT chairman Carolyn Lowing said now was the time to support radical changes for farms hit by foot and mouth.

"For some farmers who have lost their stock, this is an opportunity to have a break and think about which direction they want to go in," she said.

"When you are depressed, you can run round in circles and don't have the capacity to look out of your situation.

"But these farmers have got to do something different to compete.

"Hopefully this will give farmers the confidence to market directly.

"And the benefits are not just financial - these markets cheer everybody up."

Mrs Lowing added that the Department of the Environ-ment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has given the go-ahead for Bingley local produce markets to continue.

Anyone interested in joining the venture can contact Carolyn on (01535) 670950.