SOME 140 Kendal shoppers signed postcards asking Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Collins to back new laws to keep food and fields free of genetically modified crops.

Scarecrows and anti GM campaigners were at the top of Finkle Street on Saturday morning asking for the public's support and ran out of postcards because many visitors wanted to send the cards to their own MP.

Marianne Bennett, Real Food campaigner for South Lakeland Friends of the Earth said a national survey in 2004 showed that 61 per cent of people were concerned about the use of GM in food production at any level.

If people would like to get involved or would like more information they can phone 015395-63671 or see www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/real_food/.