A HERD of 140 healthy pedigree cattle at a Worcestershire farm was expecting a reprieve today after the Government appeared to be backing down over its slaughter policy.

Farmers Rob and Debbie Chilman have sealed off Old House Farm, Tibberton, to stop Ministry of Agriculture slaughtermen from killing their Holstein Friesians.

But 19 days after next-door Ravenshill farm was confirmed with foot-and-mouth disease, the Chilmans' cattle look like they have been saved.

The change of thinking on the livestock cull emerged last night when Downing Street announced that Phoenix, the calf that survived a cull on a Devon farm, had won a reprieve.

The revised slaughter policy relates to the so-called "firebreak" cull - slaughtering animals on farms neighbouring those where there has been a foot-and-mouth outbreak.

"It's marvellous news," said Mrs Chilman. "If they'd slaughtered Phoenix there would've been uproar. But we're not going to breathe a sigh of relief until Saturday when we know MAFF can't touch us."

Twenty-one days after confirmation of the disease, culls on next-door farms are stopped.

The Chilmans felt there was no risk to their cattle, which have not shown any signs of the disease.

"We haven't slept properly and the adrenaline that kept us going ran out yesterday," said Mrs Chilman.

The couple had been preparing for court action over the herd, which Mr Chilman's father built up after the last outbreak of foot-and-mouth.

Old House Farm is one of two in Tibberton left with livestock. Nearby Eatons Farm has been informed by MAFF its cattle will not be killed.