Eggardon's newest residents are settling well - and have even been requested to join company meetings.

Nine Highland cows have recently made Eggardon Hill home after they were gifted to local farmer Cameron Farquharson, who lost one of his beloved cows, Gladis.

Cameron Farquharson also started campaigning for a change in the law to protect livestock from dog attacks after the tragic death of Gladis, and her unborn calf on May 27.

She had been grazing on Eggardon Hill when it is thought she was chased off one of the hill fort's 30-foot ramparts in a suspected dog attack.

His campaign has received a lot of interest from around the world, with just under 6,000 people signing a petition to change the law.

Many also wanted to donate money, which has raised around £39,000 for various charities.

But Cameron was also contacted by a farmer who wanted to gift him nine Highland cows. He lives in Bournemouth and his herd were in Scotland, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, he has been unable to tend to them, so offered them to Cameron to be homed on Eggardon Hill.

A spokesman for Gladis' Law said: "He has been to see Cameron in the meantime, seen the love Cameron has given to his herd - they've all got names and they all like digestive biscuits.

"He has so much love for them and he will go and sit with them on the hill and have lunch with them.

"When he got the offer of nine cows, it overwhelmed him. Now it's all come into place, it's a case of 'wow, this is amazing'.

"He's now looking at it as a 'what can I do?'. These cows are not going to be used as meat, they are there for people to learn from and that's what he wants to do, he's so into next year giving the opportunities for people to come and hug a cow."

The campaign continues to receive a lot of support and is going very strong.

The spokesman added: "[West Dorset MP] Chris Loder has gone out and has got so much support, he's got Victoria Prentis, the farming minister, behind it and we understand it's going higher than that. People are very interested to get it through.

"We're looking at May next year for when it will finally go through, that's with everything crossed and everything going through.

"Cameron wants to do something after the event, he said he would like to create a charity where people who never get to see cows, especially Highland cows, to come up to Eggardon and meet the cows. They're a friendly bunch, but he wants people who don't get that opportunity to come and stroke a cow. We want to open it up as an educational thing.

"As a charity, we don't want to make any money and we've seen by the amount of people who have contacted us and said, 'can I come and meet your cows?' and we've said, 'sure'."

The team has also received calls from companies asking if one of the cows can join them in their meeting.

To find out more about Gladis' Law and to sign the petition, visit gladis-law.com

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