Farmers across North Devon want an end to the heavy rain to prevent livestock welfare problems and increasing feed costs.

The most recent bad weather, Storm Frank, battered the region last week, with the Environment Agency issuing flood alerts across North Devon.

Farmers have since raised concerns about the recent heavy downfalls – especially as lambing season approaches.

Most at risk are thousands of early lambing ewes who have had weeks of wet weather to contend

Exmoor sheep farmer and trader, Patrick Kift, said most sheep are hardy enough to manage in the conditions but pregnancy makes extra demands.

"Up here we're very lucky that the water runs off but it's hard work for the ewes when they're in lamb," said Patrick.

"They're really stressed and if the rain stays for a couple of weeks more the farmers will have to give the ewes something extra to help them feed the lambs."

Mr Kift said he was reluctant to bring sheep indoors – due to costs.

"The early lambing ones will be indoors now.

"But if they're later lambing people won't want to have to bring sheep indoors because the cost of feeding them is too high," he added.

"Unless it's a welfare job they've got to leave them out and let them run around. It's the ones who have the wetter ground who are facing trouble. Where it's heavy soil the sheep are treading the fields terribly."

Arable farmers in North Devon have been managing to weather the worst of the conditions, and many prefer the wet to serious frost.

Braunton potato and grain grower, Marcus Avery, explained: "This kind of weather actually suits us. When it's very cold it affects us more.

"We've got barley and wheat out in the ground and it will survive the wet. All our potatoes are in store and most of our work now is in the shed. I know it's dire working conditions if you're out in the mud and rain, but frost is a bigger nuisance than wet.

"Cauliflowers don't like it for instance, they hate the frost.

"We've drilled our potatoes in September and October and over the winter the rain won't hurt."

For cattle farmers a big concern is the rising levels of their slurry stores because of the rain, raising fears of run off into the fields and pollution of local water courses.