AN action plan set up to boost the fortunes of the North-East's rural economy was placed under the spotlight at conference yesterday.

More than 200 delegates from across the region attended the annual North East Rural Affairs Forum conference in Newcastle.

It was designed to look at progress made in the region on different fronts since the launch last summer of the first North-East Rural Action Plan.

Speaking after a series of workshops, forum chairman Ian Brown said: "There is a feeling that the action plan needs to be scrutinised in a fairly robust way. And then people who care about particular issues can be harnessed in a way that their ideas can be fed into the process."

Among the successes highlighted were the were the Northumbria Larder project, which promotes quality local produce and has seen the revival of the historic New Chevington Cheese.

Peter Liddell of South Moor, Stanley, County Durham, told the conference how he had benefited from a Wheels to Work scheme, funded through the Countryside Agency.

Having difficulty finding a job because of a lack of transport, he loaned one of 20 scooters from the scheme. He now has full-time employment, as well as being able to afford his own transport.

Other key speakers at the conference were Countryside Agency chief executive Richard Wakeford and One NorthEast chief executive Alan Clarke.

The plan for next year puts forward proposals for schemes such as a regional cycling co-ordinator to boost rural tourism, a micro-loan fund to help small businesses and a system to help communities access funding.