CUMBRIA National Farmers Union's new man at the top is promising to fight for a brighter future for young farmers.

Ravenglass farmer Alistair Mackintosh, 45, is pledging to battle for more prosperous times ahead. "I would like to see a viable future for young farmers and want to see them getting the opportunities they deserve," said Mr Mackintosh, who farms with his wife Angela at Muncaster Home Farm in Ravenglass. "The legacy I leave as county chairman will be left to young farmers. Therefore I will work closely with them to find out what they require for a prosperous future in agriculture.

"During my first 12 months as chairman I would like to see a fair price for all the first class commodities we produce in Cumbria."

Mr Mackintosh hails from Dumfries, where his father had a dairy farm, and went to the West of Scotland Agricultural College after leaving school.

But Muncaster Home Farm has been farmed by Mr Mackintosh and his family for 24 years now. Today his farm boasts 100 cows and 1,000 ewes which are mainly North of England mules.

A long-serving member of Bootle and Gosforth's NFU branch, Mr Mackintosh was elected as its chairman in 2001 and held office for two years. He has also been vice chairman and deputy chairman of Cumbria NFU. Outside of NFU work Mr Mackintosh serves on the executive committee of his local hunt, is a member of Ravenglass Parish Council and is chairman of the Cumbrian Farming and Rural Business Association.