Hardship fund set up to help North’s farmers hit by recent big freeze

The Northern Ireland Assembly is to create a hardship fund for farmers who saw almost 28,500 farm animals die during recent cold weather.

Massive snow drifts in parts of counties Down and Antrim left sheep stranded in remote areas and British and Irish relief helicopters were brought in to airlift feed.

Farmers reported damage to fences and sheds, while thousands of animals which froze or starved to death have been recovered.