ONE of the region's most popular children's show farms will reopen its gates to the public this Saturday - exactly one year to the day after losing its animals to foot-and-mouth disease.

Hall Hill Farm, near Lanchester, County Durham, will be officially reopened by farmer Jack Gibson and his ten-year-old grandson, Richard, with help from chicks, llamas and lambs.

Mr Gibson has farmed there since 1956 and first opened the farm to visitors 21 years ago. Dozens of people wrote to express their sympathy when many of the show animals, including two llamas, had to be slaughtered.

New animals include Primrose the Jersey cow, Highland cattle with a calf, a Manx ram, Southdown sheep and more llamas.

Mr Gibson said: "Last year was a dreadful experience to go through. It was so very sad, not only for ourselves but for all the friends and visitors who regularly visited the farm. It is a wonderful to have cattle and sheep back. The place seems alive again."

Final figures reveal that 140,000 animals were slaughtered in County Durham including 108,846 sheep, 23,441 cattle, 9,113 pigs, 154 goats, a guinea pig, a llama and a gerbil. The latter three all came from Hall Hill Farm.

The farm, on the B6296 Lanchester to Satley road, will be open daily from Saturday, March 23 for the rest of the season from 10.30am to 5pm. Admission is £3.50 for adults and £2.50 for children. A family ticket costs £10. The farm will be open for seven days a week until September 2.

Call (01388) 730300 for details.