DEPRESSED, anxious and on hunger strike, Martin Yarworth will travel to London on April 18 to try and persuade people not to buy the Newnham farm which has been in his family for three generations.

Mr Yarworth, 52, will take with him a letter from Forest MP Diana Organ saying his case to be allowed to keep ownership of Underhill Farm has now been referred to the European Court of Human Rights.

The row surrounds the non-payment of a £27,000 mortgage on the farm of which he says he had no knowledge.

Mr Yarworth will travel with supporters to the London auction of the farm and hand out leaflets telling prospective purchasers about the row which has made national headlines.

"Whether or not it will do any good I have no idea. We can only try but it the only chance I have. If the farm is sold and then I won my case it could prove very difficult," he said.

Mr Yarworth has been on hunger strike since April 2 and for two days took to the roof of the farmhouse as a protest.

"I'm feeling pretty low at the moment. This land means everything to me. I've done nothing yet I could lose it. It seems so wrong," he said.

Mr Yarworth added that if the sale went through it would also mean the loss of his small flock of sheep.

"I already have to carry water from a stream to them and I will obviously lose the sheds I use for shearing and suchlike. It would be as much a disaster for the animals as for me," he added.