This is the message from The Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE) in a local food challenge over the summer which calls on people to seek out local foods and send in details of the most distinctive or favourite local food or drink they can find.

Rural Policy Officer Kaley Hart said: "people are increasingly seeking out locally produced food. The phenomenal growth of farmers markets from just two in June, 1997, to over 200 today with a turnover of £65 million is testimony to this.

"The countryside is a local product that only farmers can produce. Farmers need to build on the opportunities that this offers to add value to their products by promoting their local identity and the quality of the environment in which they are produced."

She said: "From the Yorkshire Dales to the Somerset Levels, past and present management of the countryside by farmers has combined to create unique, locally distinct landscapes and habitats rich in wildlife and cultural traditions that we can all enjoy.

Ms Hart urged holidaymakers to check out local food producers and farm shops and seek out local specialities.