The Glory of Gloucesters

Clifford Freeman is at the centre of a fight for survival. He's devoted to the ancient English breed of Gloucester cattle and owns the largest herd in the country. They're renowned for their mahogany coloured coat, distinctive white-stripe and the famous Gloucester cheeses made from their milk. Vernon Harwood visits Clifford's Redmarley farm to see some of his 260 animals and hears about efforts to ensure a future for the breed by creating a new market for Gloucester beef.

In 1972 the breed was facing extinction when the last pure-bred herd went up for auction at a dispersal sale in Arlingham. It was Clifford's father, Eric, who was among a small band of enthusiasts who stepped in to buy the stock, preserve the heritage and re-launch the Gloucester Cattle Society. Forty-five years later the Freeman name is once again synonymous with preserving and promoting the Old Gloucester. It's hoped the latest figures from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust showing an increase in the number of registered breeding cows will be the start of a revival.