About 200 farmers in Wales blockaded a supermarket in further protests over the beef crisis.

The protesters barred the entrance to a distribution depot near Newport, owned by the supermarket chain Tesco.

Forty lorries were forced to wait for four hours as farmers staged their peaceful demonstration.

The protesters were campaigning against cheap beef imports and what they say are the unfair profits the supermarket is making from the beleaguered British farming industry.

During the blockade, a delegation of six farmers spent two hours locked in talks with Tesco officials at the depot raising issues such as the clear labelling of British beef.

They emerged with assurances from Tesco. A statement from Tesco supporting British beef is expected on Saturday.

BBC reporter Steve Yeoman, who was at the scene of the blockade, said: "When the delegation came out they seemed pretty happy that Tesco were listening to them.

"It is very difficult to guess what statement Tesco will make but the farmers said it's the season of peace and goodwill and although they have been protesting they have allowed Tesco to carry on their operation tonight and they're willing to wait until the statement tomorrow [Saturday]."

One of the protesters said that agriculture would suffer greatly unless support was shown for British beef: "We feel that if this is going to progress for another couple of years there will be half as many farmers around as there are at the moment, and five or six years down the road, agricultural ways will be on their knees."
 

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