Campaign over for Harriet the cow

A campaign to save a pet cow in the Forest of Dean from slaughter has ended in defeat.

The Jersey cow called Harriet is to be killed because it is thought she shared feed with a BSE-infected animal.

On Wednesday the case was heard by the House of Lords but peers refused to overrule the EU law, which means the animal has to be put down.

Local Tory MP Mark Harper had backed the campaign to save the cow on behalf of owner David Price.

Earlier he argued with welfare minister Ben Bradshaw there was no chance the nine-year-old cow would enter the human food chain, endangering people.

But in a letter the minister replied: "The law requires [Harriet] to be slaughtered as soon as possible."