FARMERS across Wiltshire are being invited to a free event on Sunday June 7, that will help them to keep their businesses safe.

Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service’s rural safety team is working with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) to run the event, which corresponds with Open Farm Sunday.

The ‘farm walk’ is being held at Five Lanes Farm in Potterne between 10am and 4pm, and is designed to show farmers how to mitigate against a range of fire hazards and other risks.

Among the subjects covered will be:

n Storage and misuse of acetylene and other compressed gases;

n Safe storage of fertilisers;

n Dangers of welding and other hot works;

n Rural crime, with input from Wiltshire Police;

n Hazards of toxic gases from slurry and other chemicals; and

n Requirements under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, particularly focusing on sleeping accommodation for seasonal workers and B&B.

The Fire & Rescue Service will also have a static display on large animal rescue, and staff from the prevention team will be talking to young children about the dangers of playing on farms.

Crew manager Shaun Milton said: “We want to work with farmers to make sure that their businesses are as safe as possible.

"It can be very straightforward to protect farms from many risks, through good working practices and an understanding of how the risks occur. By holding this free event, in a farm environment, we can demonstrate how farmers can help themselves, but also support a wider community event that is being held for Open Farm Sunday.”

The Open Farm Sunday family activities will include farm animals, pony rides, horse and cart rides, displays of new and old farm machinery, quizzes, farm games, a hog roast and other refreshments, a licensed bar and a mystery trail.