A PETITION to get British wool to the 2012 London Olympics got off to a flying start at Northumberland County Show when almost 1,000 people added their names.

Among them were the new MP for Hexham, Guy Opperman, and Sir Don Curry, the long-standing government adviser on sustainable food and farming and chairman of the Better Regulation Executive.

Hans Porksen, NFU North-East livestock board chairman, was delighted with the response. He said: "With the wool price being so low in recent years that farmers have not even been able to cover the cost of shearing, it is essential we do everything possible to highlight the unique properties of such a versatile, natural and sustainable resource.

"As part of that, we believe it is vital to achieve a showcase for wool at the Olympics and felt before we launched our petition that the public would be behind us.

"Northumberland has certainly got us off the starting blocks in style as we gear up to take the petition from agricultural shows to city centres throughout the summer."

A special range of carpets, made from undyed wool, has been designed for the Olympics to show the range of natural colours.

In January, Prince Charles launched a five-year initiative that brings together wool producers from all nations to work with manufacturers and retailers such as Marks and Spencer to make wool fashionable again. The aim is to beat off competition from manufacturers of synthetic alternatives.