A scheme aiming to encourage the community to get involved in farming is set to expand.

The Diss Community Farm has bought an extra 3.6 acres of land at Roydon in addition to its existing one-and-a-half acre site at Winfarthing in a bid to increase its membership and is appealing for new members to come forward.

Currently, 40 members are involved with the project, but Angela Lamb, the farm's co-chairman, believed this number could double thanks to the new land.

The scheme operates by encouraging people to invest a certain amount a week in the farm and they can then collect their share of the meat and vegetables produced.

Mrs Lamb said: 'Winfarthing is quite a way out. People can cycle or walk from Diss to the new site in Roydon so more people can get involved.

'We are aiming next year to have about 80 members for the vegetable project. At the moment we have about just over 40.'

The extra land in Snow Street was bought by a community farm member from religious group the Quakers at an auction in Woodbridge on October 6.

However, there are no plans to close the farm's current site in Church Road, Winfarthing. The group also have a pig project in Palgrave, near Diss.

'Our primary aim is to provide local vegetables and to be a community project involving local people.

'It involves people who are retired right down to children. Eventually, we would like to involve schools and children's groups,' Mrs Lamb added.

The new site is not yet ready for growing vegetables. Secure fencing needs to be erected around the site so livestock can graze the ground and prepare it for vegetable cultivation.