CELEBRITY chef Rick Stein hails them as food heroes and some people wouldn't go anywhere else for their Christmas turkey.

From their farm on the fringes of Darlington, Robert and Lea Darling are preparing themselves for a busy few weeks.

For the past five months or so, they have reared 400 speciality turkeys soon to grace dining tables across the North-East.

The Darlings, of Burtree House Farm, Burtree Lane, have sold traditional, free-range Kelly Bronze turkeys for four years, much to the delight of their customers.

Mrs Darling said: "On the first year of selling them we had repeat orders on Boxing Day - they are the Rolls Royce of turkey!"

Kelly Bronze turkeys were reintroduced to Britain by County Durham-born breeder Derek Kelly from his farm in Essex. They are available from limited outlets and reared on just two farms in the North-East.

Mrs Darling said what makes them special is that they will all be six months old by the time they are served up on Christmas Day.

"The birds are all hatched at the same time, but the different strains determine what size they will grow to. People are getting a mature bird, that has been naturally reared on drug-free and GM-free produce," she said.

She said all birds were hung for about ten days before being dressed and collected on Christmas Eve.

The couple also sell fresh cakes and biscuits, free-range chickens, sausages and eggs from their farm shop.

Their produce has also earned them a place in the newly published Rick Stein's Guide to the Food Heroes of Britain.