A PIG farmer and his three young daughters joined hundreds of protesters outside the Tory Party Conference in Blackpool last night.

Phillip Edge, 36, of Fairfield Farm, Longsight Road, Clayton-le-Dale, joined farmers from across the country to protest against the crisis in his industry.

He was accompanied to the demonstration by twin daughters Bronwyn and Giselle, 5, and Rhiannon, 7.

They were joined by hundreds of irate pig farmers, one of whom brought 20 sows from Somerset.

Mr Edge, who has received the backing of his local vicar, said British pig farmers were being crippled by unfair competition from abroad.

"British pig farmers are subject to tough regulations regarding the welfare of pigs that European farmers aren't. Foreign farmers don't face the massive costs that we do and it's unfair.

"I have been farming for 20 years and feel very strongly about this issue. The way things are going it will be difficult for me to continue in farming for much longer. It's got to the stage where it's make or break," he said.

Mr Edge said he took his daughters to the protest to "highlight the threat to their future way of life."

The protesting farmer has received the backing of Balderstone vicar David Ashforth, who said producers deserved a level playing field.

"The farmers have my full support. I have preached at two harvest festivals in Balderstone, when local farmers have had little to celebrate. Unlike foreign producers, they face huge welfare costs and I am backing them all the way," he said.

It is believed Tory leader William Hague will use the conference to call for a ban on imports of pigmeat not reared to the British specification.

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