RURAL business owners and NFU members teamed up for an annual charity clay pigeon shoot, which raised hundreds of pounds for the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI).

Ten teams in total, from Hexham, Morpeth and Alnwick NFU offices, took part in the event, held last Thursday at Bywell Shooting Ground near Morpeth.

There were three competitions, the first one being an individual pool shoot which saw competitors tasked with hitting 12 clays sent flying from a platform 15 metres in the air.

Hexhamshire farmer, Jamie Crozier won the title and set the tone for the rest of the day, which saw Hexham sweep the board.

Shooters then gathered into their teams, with prizes for the best overall team and the best overall combined team score per NFU office.

Hexham set off as they meant to go on with no misses in the first stand for Team Crozier Sporting, made up of Jamie Crozier, Josh Ashman, Tony Gradwell and Paul Lishman. They continued to shoot down the majority of clays which secured an outstanding team win for NFU Hexham.

Second place was hotly contested by two more Hexham teams. Haywood Farmers, consisting of Rupert Haywood, John Reay, Andrew Reay and Steve Ramshaw beat team Logical by only five clays out of the 375 on offer.

Simon Beniams of Logic Manufacturing Ltd, Phil Hubbuck of J. S. Hubbuck Ltd, Bernard Kivlehan and Davy Stokoe, made up team Logical.

With the top three teams and a very close fourth – made up of Mark Hannam, John Stonehouse, John Robson and Alan Breckons – NFU Hexham won the best team and overall best Northumberland NFU office prizes.

Competition aside, the pool shoot generated £340 for RABI which provides financial support to farming families in hardship and awards around £2m in grants every year.

Catherine Bowman, group seretary and NFU Mutual agent at Hexham, said: “The event was a great success and we’re extremely grateful to Northumberland NFU members who helped raise £340 for a fabulous charity.”