Farming operations at Quex Park Estates have returned to the black after a year of heavy losses.

Pre-tax profits in its rural business, which produces cereals, oil seeds, vegetables and other foods, were more than £24,000 in the 12 months to the end of March 2015, after a loss of £391,000 the previous year.

The estate near Birchington, which is home to the Powell-Cotton Museum and run by a charitable trust, made an operating loss of £105,000, much less than the £646,000 lost in 2014.

However, its £1.4 million turn­over was far lower than the previous year’s £2.2 million, giving it a greater gross loss of £322,000, compared with £203,000.