‘Most farmers love their stock more than their wives.’

That’s the view of a butcher who received a plea for mercy from a farmer who had sold him his prize-winning cow.

Cherry, a 20-month-old heifer, won six prizes, including local champion, for Ben Drury at last week’s Christ­mas fatstock show in Dart­mouth.

Ben was delighted when Cornish butcher Philip Warren paid £1,500 for her in the auction that followed.

But he later regretted letting her go and after a sleepless night made an early morning call to ask if he could buy her back.

‘Luckily they agreed but said I had best be quick as she was going to an abattoir in Launceston and was about to be loaded,’ said Ben, whose dad, Peter, immediately set off with a pick-up vehicle.

Ben had reared Cherry, a South Devon cross Angus British Blue, on his family’s farm at Quarry Lane, Bugford, near Dartmouth.

He said: ‘She had fetched a good price at auction but I got thinking later about all the cups she had won and I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of her. I had a sleepless night hoping it was not too late.’

Ben’s mum Helen said: ‘Cherry was his pride and joy and we couldn’t believe he was selling her.

‘She was the best he had ever bred.

‘He was dithering over it and put a good reserve price on her. I was tempted to bid myself.

‘But he ended up being awake half the night with a guilty conscience.

‘Now she is back home for Christmas and will be put into calf next year.’

Mr Warren said he had received a phone call from Ben about 6.15am the next morning, asking if he could buy Cherry back. ‘How could I say no?’ he said. ‘I’m a farmer as well as a butcher and have some of the same principles.’