LOCAL farms are to be targeted in a health and safety clampdown.

Child safety, manual handling and arboriculture activities will come under the spotlight as agricultural inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive arrive at farms across the borough.

The checks will start on Friday, October 20 and will continue through the following half-term week. Farmers will have no warning, with some inspections taking place at weekends, early mornings and in the evenings.

More than 70 children have died on agricultrual premises over the last 12 years -- five in the North West -- and the drive aims to reduce this number.

Mervyn Thomas, HSE inspector co-ordinating the inspection programme, said: "A lot can be done to make farms safer and to tell children about the risks, whether they live on the farm, or visit as part of leisure or educational activities."

He added: "Farms are homes as well as workplaces and in these difficult economic times farmers are looking for alternative enterprises. Many will involve the public, including youngsters, coming onto their farms and being potentially at risk."

Farmers who do not comply with HSE standards face a number of steps. An HSE spokesman said: "It depends on the problem. It could just be a matter of issuing advice to a farmer, or an improvement notice could be served which requires a farmer to change a working practice within a certain time.

"But a prohibition notice stops work completely, for example if there is a rotary saw working without a guard."

In addition, HSE are reminding farmers about their 'Farmwise' guide sent out last year, which provides information on making farms safer places to live and work.

Mervyn Thomas said: "The booklet was produced after wide consultation in the industry. With sections covering everything from child and public safety, to maintenance work, and the selection of new products, farmers will have little excuse for pleading ignorance."

Copies of the HSE magazine 'Stay safe on the farm' can be downloaded from www.hse.gov.uk, or found in HSE offices, along with the free leaflet 'Preventing accident to children on farms'. Advice is also available from the HSE InfoLine on 08701 545500.