SHADOW agriculture minister Tim Yeo came face to face with farmers in crisis when he went to market in Chippenham.

Mr Yeo started the day in Chippenham Livestock Market, where he took part in a question and answer session.

He then visited farms and abbatoirs in the area and had lunch with Peter Gantlett, the county chairman for the National Farmers' Union.

Mr Yeo said: "We can't stay in Whitehall with our eyes shut while farmers continue to struggle."

He said farming was over-regulated and he would like to see red tape done away with and more done to encourage shoppers to buy British produce.

"It is absolutely outrageous that British farmers have to work to regulations that the rest of Europe does not,"

Mr Yeo said he wanted to meet farmers face to face to hear their problems.

Mr Gantlett said his lunch with Mr Yeo went very well.

"He was very supportive of the red tractor logo which encouragers shoppers to buy British, rather than foreign imports, which was good," he said.

"We can't simply blame this crisis on one particular administration because there are always going to be problems.

"However, with the election of the Tories now looking like a realistic possibilty, it was good that he came down to hear what our concerns are.

"We need to make sure a county like Wiltshire doesn't get left out when it comes to distributing rural development grants."

The minster came to Chippenham on the invitation of MP James Gray, who said: "It is only by meeting farmers face to face on the ground that you come to realise how appalling the crisis in the industry really is.

"If you're in farming right now you're in real trouble and I wanted to introduce Tim Yeo to as many of my constituents as I could. I wrote to Farm Minister Nick Brown back in January to ask him to visit Wiltshire and I fear he has not even troubled to acknowledged my letter."

Farmer John Knight, 57, of Hillcrest Farm, Upper Wraxall, near Chippenham, said: "I don't like to see British agriculture being destroyed and we are going to stand up for the right to keep it alive.

"I hope Mr Yeo will listen to what we have to say."

Paul Reynolds, 51, a farmer from Allington, Chippenham, said: "It is nice of Mr Yeo to come and see us but he must remember that we will give him as much respect or anger as we give Labour if the Conservatives do come into power."

Mr Reynolds cannot afford to pay wages to his 21-year-old son Timothy, who works on his beef farm. "Mr Yeo must realise the agriculture industry is totally collapsing beneath us," he said.