Increasing numbers of farmers are turning off their heating to save money, a survey has found.

The survey, conducted by Warm.co.uk, found that farmers are resorting to the traditional open fire to provide heat, due to the uncertain and increasing prices of gas and oil.

Warm.co.uk found that over 70 per cent used alternative fuels to heat their homes, and many said they used wood, usually logs from their own land or sourced locally.

They found that generally the central heating was only used for three months of the year, with 15 per cent using if for just two months.

Jonathan Ratcliffe, Warm.co.uk spokesperson, said: "With gas and fuel oil prices unpredictable at the best of times, it's no surprise that farmers are turning to what they do best, finding solutions from the land.

"It's obvious that people are using what's around them to bring certainty back into their lives and to bring down their heating bills.

"It's what any good businessman would do to mitigate risk.

"People outside the industry forget that farmers are modern people too, and like their home comforts as much as the next office worker.

"So you'll so you'll see a modern, well-serviced central heating system in many a farm house.

"Fuel uncertainty is the same across virtually all industrial sectors and in many homes around the country.

"But it's the farming industry that's really using its collective knowledge to embrace practical solutions.

"Old is as good as new in many cases."

Steve, West Country: "Fuel costs going through the roof, it's one of the main topics of conversation when we get together. One of my neighbours has a log-splitter, and it gets a hell of a lot of use round here in the cold months."

Warm.co.uk found four case studies of people who are turning off their heating to save bills, Steve, Jim, Derek and John.

Steve, from the West Country, said: "Fuel costs going through the roof, it's one of the main topics of conversation when we get together.

"One of my neighbours has a log-splitter, and it gets a hell of a lot of use round here in the cold months."

Jim, from Northern Ireland, said: "We've got wood coming out of our ears here, and we make use of what's available, sell some to neighbours.

"Since we've being doing this, our domestic heating bills are reduced. Really pleased with that."

Derek, from the Midlands, said: "I've been a victim of fuel oil theft twice now, and it's pushing my insurance premiums through the roof.

"That's one of the reasons we've gone back to a wood burner. Who's going to run off with a wood pile?"

John, who manages a farm in the south-east of England, said: "I've got teenage daughters, and I'd never hear the last if it if I told them we're only going to run the kitchen stove in winter. I think they'd actually move out.

"That's why I try to keep my fuel costs down by using alternative methods such as burning locally-harvested wood, and heating water through the solar sources.

"But we still need the central heating sometimes, though I find I'm ordering in fuel oil for the boiler far less than we used to. I think it keeps the girl’s happy too."

https://www.warm.co.uk