THE Singing Farmers have raised more than £100,000 for charity and attract sell-out audiences throughout Yorkshire, but the end is in sight for the popular group.

Just six more concerts are planned, including an appearance at the Milton Rooms, in Malton, on Sunday, May 17.

Singer Chris Berry said: “We never intended that these concerts would become what they have, they were only intended as a one-off tour back in 2004 when we played our first concert in Hawes, but the demand has been so great that we are now in our 12th year of raising funds for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution who help out the farming community tremendously in times of hardship.

“We’ve made a decision though that this year’s three concerts and a further trio of them next year will be the last.

“That will take us to 50 shows and that seems the right time to stop.

“We hope everyone who hasn’t come yet and all those who book regularly will come and see us.

“Some of our regulars may think they’ve heard all this before as we were considering finishing after 10 years but this time it’s for real.

“We’d rather go out on a high while everyone still wants us to perform in these shows rather than simply go on forever so you should find a few nice surprises in store.”

Chris is known for his countryside journalism and playing with his function band at hunt balls. He will also be on the main stage at the summer music festival Staxtonbury in July.

The rest of the Singing Farmers is made up of sheep farmers Tony Richards of Egton Banks Farm, Glaisdale; Charles Marwood of Foulrice, Whenby near Sheriff Hutton; cattle breeder Ken Jackson of Forlorn Hope Farm, Walden Stubbs near Doncaster; farm supply shop owner Phillip Holden of Spennithorne; and keyboard player Lloyd Lockwood.

Tickets are £13 and available by sending a cheque made payable to RABI to: The Singing Farmers Tickets, 2 Elmete Croft, Scholes, Leeds LS15 4BE