RURAL businesses in the Okehampton area could be boosted with the announcement of a major funding windfall netted by The Tarka Foundation.

The Foundation successfully bid against more than 60 other areas in the UK to win a grant of £126,700 from the Development Fund for Rural Renewal, aimed at supporting enterprise in areas affected by foot and mouth disease.

The money will be used to give up to 1,000 village enterprises their own internet marketing site, provide hands-on help to local businesses developing new ideas, encourage employment, fund the branding of local products and establish new business ideas.

John Hardy, chief executive of the Tarka Country Trust, set up the Foundation with the aim of accessing funds outside the Trust's charitable status rules.

He said: 'What we at Tarka want to do is access any new money that can benefit this area.

'Regeneration is not charitable in law, but rural businesses are the mainstay of our economy and without them, the environment as we know it is unsustainable.

'It is very much in the interest of the local communities to ensure that rural enterprises continue. It is to access and deliver money of this type that the Tarka Foundation was set up.'

The £3 million Development Fund for Rural Renewal programme was launched at the end of last year, to offer support to rural enterprises in areas affected by the foot and mouth crisis.

Any rural business in the Okehampton area interested in finding out more about grant aid from the Tarka Foundation should contact 01271 345008 for more information.