OFF-ROAD driving enthusiasts are flocking to a thriving business in Teesdale.

Deepdale Off Road was established by husband and wife team Graeme and Ann Gill at Smatgill Farm, near Barnard Castle, three years ago as a sideline to compensate for a downturn in dairy farming.

Now the business, about to welcome its 1,000th customer, has proved so successful that it has become their main concern.

Business Link County Durham provided the couple with advice and support, including a grant from the Rural Recovery Fund for businesses hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis, to help establish Deepdale.

The grant enabled Graeme to take advanced off-road training with Land Rover, produce brochures for corporate customers and buy a video camera to help with publicity.

He said: "We have 25 acres of steep, wooded land on the farm that was unusuitable for agriculture but ideal terrain for off-road driving.

"We never expected the business to be so successful and we are doubly delighted because our visitors are also boosting the local economy."

Deepdale's customers include visitors from as far afield as Holland, Aberdeen, London and Cornwall, looking for a new experience, as well as companies providing entertainment for clients or staff.

John Atkinson, Business Improvement Consultant for Business Link County Durham, said: "Deepdale is an excellent example of a successful diversification. The Rural Recovery Fund, provided by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and One NorthEast, has helped more than 400 business projects in County Durham which were affected by the foot-and-mouth crisis with a total of £1.2m."