Shambo shambles - the 'low'down

Today the fate of the UK's most famous bull hung in the balance at the Court of Appeal – will Shambo live or die? (see story)

The six-year-old Friesian contracted TB, leading the Welsh Assembly to call for his slaughter. A petition of more than 20,000 names and a 24-hour live broadcast of Shambo in his pen at a Welsh Hindu temple endeavoured to keep him alive.

Brother Michael, a monk who watched Shambo grow since he was born in 2001, explained why it was important to preserve the ‘holy’ cow's life.

He said: "In the Hindu faith the feet of the cow represent absolute truth, righteous living, unconditional love and peace."

Well, depending on the Court of Appeal's ruling Shambo's ‘love and peace’ could be taking him to cow heaven.