"In the last two years, we have seen a big increase in interest from the Irish market, " said Robert Sheasby, rural surveyor with the National Farmers' Union in the UK.

"Irish farmers are moving over here because they are discovering that land is a lot less expensive and available in much bigger quantities. You can buy three hectares here for every one you buy in Ireland."

Farmers traditionally emigrated to the USA and Canada to set up a new life, but now they are finding they need only go across the Irish Sea. The northwest and southwest of England are particularly popular, with areas such as Cheshire, Cornwall and East Anglia acquiring Irish communities. In Scotland, auctioneers have reported that one in five enquiries about rural property is from an Irish farmer.

"We have noticed that the move towards the UK has slowed down in the last year, " said a spokesman for the Irish Farmers' Association.

"However, any land that comes on the market is highly sought-after, making it difficult for farmers to invest in new land."