SLIGHTLY larger than your average Andrex puppy but even stronger, longer and award winning!

Farmer Gordon Beresford, of Halton West, has rebuilt his herd, culled during the foot and mouth outbreak, and named the animals after his diversification project - Triple Blue paper towels.

Gordon and his wife, Claire, lost 150 Holsteins and during the 11 months they were without stock, they concentrated on their industrial paper towel business. Gordon had the idea of approaching the supplier suggesting their use on dairy farms.

"I had a bit of good fortune. The suppliers had been considering the dairy market and I had all the contacts. They wanted to find out if it worked in agriculture so I trialled it locally in Craven.

"People then started reordering. We now supply farms nationwide and hotels locally."

When he was allowed to restock on April 30 Gordon called his new herd the Triple Blue. One of his new heifers, Claybury Raider Heather, was named elite cow at the Yorkshire County Show at York for producing the highest milk yield.

"Foot and mouth was an opportunity. It was a tragedy to lose all the cattle but we had to go forward," said Gordon.

Triple Blue products can be ordered through Gordon on 01729 850495.