EAST Lancashire farmers who fought back from the despair of foot-and-mouth have proved they are the cream of the crop with a new venture.

They have picked themselves up from the after-effects of the disease to form a groundbreaking co-operative involving 15 farms which will produce Bowland Fresh Milk.

And the silver-top special will be marketed at supermarkets across the North West.

One of the farmers, Steve Morris, of Goodshaw Farm, Dutton, near Ribchester, said: "This is the first time in my farming life that I have had the opportunity to connect with the customer.

"We are a new breed of farmer that understands that you can't just produce -- you have to take things the next step and actually listen to what the consumer wants and then supply it.

"The farmer has been too far removed from the consumer for too long."

Bowland Fresh Milk will be collected every day in its own tanker for bottling and will then be distributed through Lancashire-based supermarket chain Booths.

When the farmers approached Booths bosses they were able to negotiate a higher premium for the milk than they would have received on the commercial market..

Booths marketing director Chris Dee said: "When we were having our original discussions, the farmers were hit by foot-and-mouth disease, which affected each and every one of them very badly.

"Despite all this, they kept going and are the real drivers of this project.

"We have worked closely together on the processing, bottling and branding, as well as the promotion of the product."

Farmer William Slinger, of Dickenson Farm, Pendleton added : "The deal effectively means that, when people buy our milk, we will be 10 to 15 per cent better off than if we had sold the milk on the open market.

"This can be ploughed back into effective land management in Bowland -- an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty -- keeping it beautiful for locals and visitors alike."

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans added: "This scheme is great for an industry that has suffered a wretched year at the hands of the foot-and-mouth disaster."

Stars of BBC TV's Born and Bred -- a second series of which is being filmed at Downham -- Clive Swift and Peter Gunn welcomed the first delivery of Bowland Fresh Milk at Booths in Clitheroe.

Farmers in the scheme are: John Alpe, New Laund Cottage, Whitewell; Carrs, Langden Holme, Dunsop Bridge; Gills, New York Farm, Sabden; David Graveston, Parkhouse Farm, Bolton by-Bowland; J.E and B.M. Harrison, Manor House Farm, Slaidburn; Edward Jackson, Wiswell Eaves Farm, Wiswell; Parkers, Horn's Farm, Slaidburn; Parkers, Forber Farm, Newton; Porters, Hodder Bank, Whitewell; Shepherds, Root Farm, Dunsop Bridge; Slingers, Dickenson Farm, Pendleton; Wades, Withams Farm, Sabden; Whitewells, Pendleton Hall, Pendleton and Limehouse Farm, Pendleton; Thomas Binns, Hecklin Farm, Downham; James Carr, Langden Holme, Dunsop Bridge.