AN environmentally friendly agricultural start-up is to appear on one of Britain's most popular TV programmes.

The Horned Beef Company, in Lindale, near Grange, will be featured on the BBC's Countryfile this weekend.

This appearance comes after the firm was nominated in the Against the Odds category at the British Farming Awards, which recognises people who have taken a different approach to agriculture.

The firm is run by husband-and-wife team David and Bekka Corrie-Close, neither of whom is from a farming background.

The business was launched last year with a 70-strong herd of pedigree cattle - including Shetlands and longhorns - over an area of 500 acres, with the aim of providing quality beef and using greener farming methods.

Unusually, it raised capital by promising investors that if they put in £1,000, they would receive their dividend each year in beef.

Mr and Mrs Corrie-Close are both from an environmental background.

They came up with the idea for the company's unusual source of funding after hearing about a French dairy farmer who was doing something similar.

Countryfile filmed the couple earlier this month, with presenter Adam Henson keen to tell the story of how they operate their business without a traditional farmstead.

They will feature in the episode broadcast on Sunday (October 1) about "farming in forgotten places".

Mrs Corrie-Close said: “We hope that telling our story will inspire others to follow, no matter how challenging.”

Mr Corrie-Close said: “It’s important that we reach out to new customers to buy our beef. It’s about more than that though.

"We need the public to support what we, and others, are doing to promote positive changes in farming.”

Last month the firm was one of the winners of the Land Rover/Prince’s Countryside Fund bursary contest, which saw them lease a new Land Rover Discovery Sport for the next year to help them develop their countryside careers.

The British Farming Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday October 19 in Birmingham. The BBC will cover the awards for a programme to be broadcast early next year.