Horse owners are being given the chance to help fund cheap rural housing, every time they buy hay.

Frank Inns equine hay and bedding wholesaler, based at Gramps Hill Stud, Letcombe Bassett, near Wantage, is donating 5p from the sale of every bale of hay and bedding sold in the area, to the Lambourn Valley Housing Trust.

The fundraising initiative follows the cancellation of the Lambourn Open Day, which has traditionally been an important source of funding for the trust, which provides affordable rented accommodation to stable lads and lasses.

The open day - which usually takes place on Good Friday - was called off because of the foot and mouth crisis.

The offer - which applies to all hay and bedding sold in the Lambourn area - will last for one year.

A spokesman for the company, Jane Murfett, said: "This very genuine offer to help is due to the cancellation of the open day. All trainers in Lambourn are being notified. The more sold, the more money is raised for a very good cause. The trust is an important organisation. If we don't have the subsidises housing, many excellent and valuable people would leave racing."