An event expecting to bring thousands of visitors onto farms across East Anglia this summer has been postponed due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus.

Open Farm Sunday is a national event co-ordinated by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), aiming to engage the public with agriculture by inviting them onto farms for an informative day in the countryside.

This year’s event was due to be held on June 7, but organisers said they have taken the “inevitable, safe and sensible decision” to postpone it until September 20.

A statement from LEAF says: “This decision has not been taken lightly and the organisation is fully aware of the implications and disappointment this may cause to host farmers and visitors. However, given the challenges that the whole country faces in the coming weeks and months, LEAF has been left with little choice but to postpone the event to later in the year.”

READ MORE: Norfolk Spring Fling cancelled due to coronavirusLEAF chief executive Caroline Drummond added: “We have spoken to a number of our host farmers to understand the impact of postponing to later in the year. We are pleased with the positive response from our ever enthusiastic farmers, many of whom have indicated that they would like to still host LEAF Open Farm Sunday 2020. Consequently, we have rearranged the date to September 20.

“We look forward to welcoming the public out onto farm at a different and interesting time of year to take pleasure from getting outside and celebrating farming, food and nature.”

For more information see the Open Farm Sunday website or email OpenFarmSunday@leafuk.org.