FOOT-and-mouth victim Wallis Hodgson hopes his new venture will be a sure fire hit.

The Weardale farmer, who lost all his stock to the disease, heeded government advice to diversify and set his sights on a paintball enterprise.

Now "Under Siege" is up and running with the first party of enthusiasts having enjoyed what was on offer.

Castlewood Farm was one of the first in Weardale to be hit by foot-and-mouth.

It was confirmed on March 9 and all 400 beef cattle and sheep were culled and their bodies burnt on a huge pyre.

"It was a hideous sight but the smell was the worst thing, I shall never forget it," said Mr Hodgson, 25.

"Three generations of work was lost in two days. Some of the cattle were left from the days when grandfather had his dairy herd here and my father was very upset."

Indeed, Mr John Hodgson stayed indoors while the cull took place, he could not face seeing what was happening.

"It was very hard for my father because farming was all he had ever known, whereas I had always thought we would have to do something else as well as farming alone would not sustain us."

It was his younger brother Ross, 16, who came up with the paintball idea. "He had always said we should do it but father at the time was against it," said Mr Hodgson.

However with all the stock having gone and re-stocking unlikely to take place for some time yet the new venture became more important.

"We have been cleaning the buildings ever since the outbreak and hope to have the final inspection of the last buildings today," said Mr Hodgson.

The cleaning with high pressure hoses and disinfectant has to be meticulous.

"Some of the buildings were 90 years old and had never been cleaned before.

"Now when you enter them they don't look like farm buildings, they are more like new offices they are so clean."

Restrictions on half the land have also been lifted enabling Under Siege to open for business on several sites.

The venture is a member of the UK Paintball Sports Federation and offers high quality semi-automatic marker guns and helmets with full-face, temple, ear and eye protection.

A variety of packages and games are on offer and birthdays, stag and hen parties, clubs, schools and businesses who want to entertain staff or clients are all catered for.

Castlewood Farm lies half way down the bank leading to Wolsingham from the main roundabout on the A68 road near Fir Tree.

Anyone interested can contact Mr Hodgson on 01388 730338.