Grimsby Nunny's Farm shuts for winter due to flooding

Nunny's Farm owner Neil Campbell said it was hoped it would reopen in February

A community farm in the heart of a Grimsby housing estate has been forced to close for winter due to flooding.

The owners of Nunny's Farm on the Nunsthorpe estate said recent heavy rain had left walkways and paddocks under a thick layer of mud.

A fundraising campaign had been launched to pay for new mud mats, with the aim of reopening in February.

Neil Campbell said the decision to close had been a "difficult" one, but the ground was "unpassable and unsafe".

The petting farm has faced a series of setbacks since opening at the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020.

'Crisis to crisis'

Earlier this year, a fire broke out at the neighbouring Centre4 community centre, which meant the farm had to temporarily close.

Mr Campbell said the farm had gone "from crisis to crisis".

"We hoped this winter we would make back some of our losses from the wet summer, but we're not sure now," he said.

"We have to show resilience and we will reopen to the public in February in some capacity."

Meanwhile, staff were continuing to care for the farm's 13 species of animal, including highland cows, alpacas and sheep, Mr Campbell said.

A message on the farm's website said: "The animals cannot wait to see you."

The neighbouring Little Farmers nursery remains open.