British White cattle leave Hastings Country Park

The herd, owned by Sussex Wildlife Trust, had been used to graze land at Warren Glen, in Hastings Country Park, for several months.

However, it was moved to Seaford Head on Monday to help graze land there.

James Power, head of land management at Sussex Wildlife Trust, said: “Hastings asked us last year to help out with the grazing at the country park.

“It is a piece of land that is difficult to get livestock to graze on and we were happy to help.” However, he said the cattle were now needed by Seaford Town Council.

Tony Welwig, of Rye Road, Guestling, contacted the Observer after seeing signs at the park saying a small herd of Belted Galloway cattle would be arriving soon.

It is believed Hastings Borough Council will own the new herd, which are also thought to be well-suited to conservation grazing.

“It is indeed a shame that their familiar presence in the glen has been so short,” said Mr Welwig.

“Eleven months to be exact. Four cows and one bull arrived in the country park last June to carry out work called conservation grazing in the rough pastures of the glen. But things changed in January and February of this year when two cows gave birth to a male calf each only three weeks apart.

“For their safety, the whole herd were all eventually homed in a large fenced-in field in Warren Glen that is occasionally used for sheep grazing. The conservation grazing of the wild part of Warren Glen was no longer part of their life from then and such responsibility was left entirely to the Exmoor ponies.”

Mr Welwig said one day, when he was photographing the herd, he met an American tourist who had made a special visit while visiting a friend in England just to see the calves.

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