Pig farmers are warning of a crisis that threatens a mass exodus from an industry facing a skills shortage as well as huge increases in costs of feed and energy.

A pig farmer who has been losing around £5,000 a week since Christmas has called for more government support for the industry.

Independent small businesses across the South West say their recovery from the pandemic is being hit by the impact of Brexit tariffs.

Businesses have been hit hard by Brexit, according to research by an affiliation on Chambers of Commerce in the region.

Anti-Brexit campaigners have ploughed a protest message in giant letters reading “Britain now wants to remain” into a field in rural southern England, as Britain’s exit from the European Union hangs on a knife edge.

Campaign group Led By Donkeys ploughed 40 metre high letters into a field in Wiltshire.