Merton Council has come to the aid of Deen City Farm while it temporarily closes due to the foot and mouth epidemic. Leader of the Council, Councillor Peter Holt has stepped in with emergency support.

He said: “We will support them with an immediate emergency cash grant of £8,000 to see them through the crisis for the next month. If the situation carries on for much longer than that, the farm will of course face some difficult choices, and we will offer all the advice and support we can.”

Rob Rayson, Deen City Farm Manager, said: “This is the biggest crisis that we have faced, and we are all so grateful that the Council is helping us during the next month with this extra emergency cash.”

The National Association of City Farms and Community Gardens has recommended that all city farms are closed and as a precaution Deen City Farm has been temporarily shut down.