Tim's ewes are normally scheduled to lamb in April but he said: "Two of the ewes managed to jump the fence and had a night out.

"Fortunately, their lambs are both fine so they are the first this spring."

Tim is a member of local sheep farmers' co-operative Seven Hill Farmers Ltd, which supplies its meat to the Asda supermarket firm which sells it throughout the country.

Tim said: "Last year we supplied 3,500 lambs to Asda and the meat was sold in their 31 branches, including in London.

"They had special promotions of it from September to December.

"We're meeting Asda shortly and we should be able to supply a similar amount this year.

"We receive a small premium from them and so far the scheme has been working well.

"Asda is good to work with and we get a fixed price and as the producers, we all have our pictures on our produce.

"There are a lot of benefits for us in working as a group and we all get on really well together. We're hoping to expand the group.

"To be a member farmers have to meet two criteria – they have to farm within the North York Moors National Park and their produce has to meet the Farm Assurance Scheme standard.

"We've also had the help of the North York Moors National Park which has been very supportive of the scheme from the start."

Westerdale sheep farmer Richard Findlay, who is a member of the co-operative, said he was very pleased with the scheme.

He said: "We progressed from the first year of the scheme when the co-operative sold 1,500 to Asda to the 3,500 last year and we hope we'll sell even more this season. We understand from Asda that it sold very well."

Farmers taking part in the scheme in addition to Tim and Richard are Robert Ventriss from Littlebeck, Eddie Nicholson from Mulgrave, Steve Hallam from Egton Grange, Robin Garbutt from Hawnby and Tim Dunn from Bransdale.