A RURAL agricultural support service has received funding to update its computer suite.

The Sir Tom Cowie Trust gave more than £6,000 to the Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Service (Utass), based in Middleton-in-Teesdale, allowing it to refurbish its outdated IT facilities.

The new Sir Tom Cowie Training Suite now has eight new computers, complete with comfortable swivel chairs and two printers.

The suite was completed just in time for the beginning of the latest round of computer support offered at Utass in the form of beginners, VAT and Excel IT courses.

Diane Spark, Utass's project manager, said: "The increasing requirement of computer skills nowadays, and particularly on farmers to return all their forms electronically, has made this resource a necessary and valuable acquisition to the upper dales."

For details on Utass and its services, visit utass. org, search for Utass Upper Teesdale on Facebook, or call 01833-641010.

Its headquarters are in Chapel Row, Middleton-in-Teesdale.