Students throughout the land are being urged to spend their summer holidays working on farms to help keep Britain fed during the coronavirus crisis.

At present, farmers are struggling after the lockdown led to a mass shortage of regularly used migrant workers.

Sixth-form, college and university students have been encouraged to help pick fruits and vegetables.

A “student land army” is now needed to bring in the harvest according to the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

80,000 seasonal workers are needed from the end of May to help bring in the UK harvest on farms right across the country.

Students are the primary target market this year - especially due to their six-week summer break.

Sarah Louise Fairburn, chair of the food board at Greater Lincolnshire LEP, said: “The food sector in Greater Lincolnshire employs up to 56,000 people produces a quarter of the country’s vegetables and is nationally important in keeping our nation fed.

“Because of the current travel restrictions put in place to combat the coronavirus, our farms are struggling to recruit the workers needed to bring in the harvest this year.

“Therefore, a student land army can have a significant impact on the national effort to overcome the pandemic emergency and will give students a chance to earn an income while they are not studying”.