A mother and her two children may have to leave their home in Widecombe unless she can provide documentary proof that she is carrying out the farming work her landlord claims.

Members of Dartmoor National Park Authority agreed to allow farmer Lloyd Mortimore another month to prove he is not breaching the agricultural occupancy condition imposed when planning permission was granted for Higher Northway Farm six years ago.

Addressing the planning management committee last Friday, Mr Mortimore said his tenant spent at least 20 hours a week on farming duties doing farm-related secretarial work and looking after livestock.

He confirmed that she was registered for PAYE and National Insurance but admitted there was no employment contract or documentary evidence of what work she actually carried out.

'Agricultural subsidies are no longer linked to production. It is a significant challenge for upland farming to remain an affordable business. It is essential that I have a worker at Higher Northway but I can't justify a full-time worker,' Mr Mortimore said.

The authority's legal advisor, Christopher Walledge, told members that in planning law agricultural paperwork did not count. He said that the tenant worked 30 hours a week for the NHS.

'If someone spends more of their time in an occupation that is not agriculture they can't qualify,' he said.

Member Maurice Retallick said that might be the case in law but the reality of farming had changed drastically in the last ten years.

'Gone are the days when farmers are doing handwork with hand tools and not having to deal with paperwork.'

But member Peter Harper urged caution.

'We must be careful that we are granting permissions for these properties for agricultural workers. If we start letting this slide people will try to pull the wool over our eyes. I'm not saying this applicant is trying to do that but we need more evidence that this person is actually working for at least half the time on the property.'

Member Stuart Barker suggested a month's deferral to allow more information to be gathered.

'I just don't think this is a fair situation for everybody involved. It may be planning law but clearly there is a huge shift in the way agricultural is delivered today.'

Planning director Chris France reminded members that they had granted permission six years earlier because it was needed for a farmworker.

'It is difficult because everyone will have sympathy. We didn't approve a farm dwelling to enlarge the farmer's income.'