FESTIVE cooks are being urged to buy local turkeys to help save the environment.

At this time every year over 10million turkeys are eaten in the UK as part of the traditional Christmas meal.

And with approximately one third of the birds being imported, the potential for food miles to escalate is considerable.

With a large proportion of the turkeys being reared and imported from Brazil the average foreign bird could have travelled over 6,000 miles before it hits the dinner plate.

As planes and other transport pollute the atmosphere during the transportation process there are many turkey alternatives closer to home that are not only easier on the environment but also provide support to local producers.

With the help of the National Farmers Union, a special website has been set up to offer advice on where to buy a locally-produced turkey this year (www.ukturkeys.co.uk ).

Featured on the site are a number of Lancashire poultry producers including Clitheroe-based Edward Jackson who rears around 500 turkeys for the Christmas market.

Mr Jackson said he had been able to sell a few birds via the website but had regular buyers who he sold to at this busy time of year.

He said: "We sell some private but also to butchers in Clitheroe, Whalley and people in the local area. Most of them are oven-ready and my dad and brother help me get them ready in the run up to Christmas. I've had poultry all my life, it was just a few turkeys and chickens originally but it has built from there.

"In the last few years there's been a lot more demand for fresh turkeys and buying local.

"I think it is important that the public are made aware that there are local producers and what they are offering.

The butchers we are selling to have already ordered for next year." With a normal dairy and sheep farm run besides the Christmas period is a busy one for Mr Jackson and his family who start preparing the birds for sale around two weeks before Christmas Day and work flat out until Christmas Eve making the birds oven ready.

Vice-chairman of the NFU poultry board, Mike Bailey, backed the call for people to look local.

He said: "We want to encourage the British consumer to buy local' this year - and save on food miles."