A FARMER facing eviction from the North Yorkshire farm where he has lived all his life today won a last-minute reprieve.

George Copeland had been set to be evicted from Walnut Tree Farm tomorrow after he was twice late paying the rent in 2000 - breaching his tenancy agreement - because of severe financial difficulties.

Mr Copeland, 53, told the Evening Press he was "devastated" at the prospect of leaving the 84-acre farm at Thorpe Bassett, Rillington, near Malton, where he was born.

"I've no idea where I'll go or what I'll do if the eviction goes ahead," he said.

The eviction, authorised recently by a judge at York County Court, follows a possession order granted last year. But Mr Copeland today went back to the court to apply for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal against the judge's decision.

And District Judge Handley ordered a fortnight's postponement of the eviction.

Mr Copeland claimed he had never been late with his half-yearly rent payments before 2000.

He said that, like many farmers, he had been facing hard times in the late 1990s.

"But in 1999, I had trouble with some calves and had to get the vet in," he said.

The illness was eventually diagnosed as salmonella.

"I lost 17 calves, which is about £1,000, and I also had to pay a £1,000 vet's bill. I was also very stressed and down."

He said that, as far as he was aware, he had not breached the tenancy agreement in other ways.

Solicitors for the owners of the farm, which is part of the Cholmley estates, said they would not be able to make any comment prior to today's legal hearing.

However, it is understood that extensive efforts were made by the estate to resolve the late payments problems in 2000 before court proceedings were eventually launched.

John Clark, northern representative of The Small Farms Association, said George Copeland's situation was typical of the position of small farms throughout the country. "When something goes wrong, there is no leeway," he said.

Updated: 15:10 Wednesday, January 15, 2003