PIG farmers marched through Southampton yesterday to protest at the falling price of pork.

The Pig Issue Tour, organised by the National Pig Association and the British Pig Executive (BPEX), trotted to the Civic Centre to raise awareness of the crisis facing the British industry.

Feed prices have doubled over the past year and farmers are now losing £20 on every pig raised.

Tour organiser Malcolm Baxter said: "We may have three little pigs on the tour but we're certainly not crying wolf. Feed represents about 50 per cent of pig farmers' costs and this has gone up massively. People are beginning to see that this is a serious issue but we need to take action now."

BPEX chairman Stewart Houston said if prices were not raised soon, many farmers face going out of business.