THE deadlock between Tibberton farmer Rob Chilman and the Ministry of Agriculture over the slaughter of his pedigree cattle will be settled in court.

Defiant Mr Chilman refused MAFF vets entry to Old House Farm for a second time yesterday after villagers staged a 30-strong protest on Sunday.

MAFF is now seeking a court injunction to slaughter his award-winning 140 Holstein Friesians because they graze in an area infected with foot-and-mouth.

But time is running out.

MAFF has until Sunday to win the injunction - or scrap the slaughter.

Under national policy, animals in an infected area are supposed to be slaughtered within 48 hours of the outbreak, but cannot be killed after the 21-day quarantine period.

"The matter is now in the hands of solicitors and we are trying to gain an injunction," said a MAFF spokesman.

"We appreciate this must be devastating for the farmer concerned but the whole point of culling the animals is to try and reduce the risk of infection spreading further afield. There really is no alternative."

On Sunday, angry villagers formed a blockade at the entrance to Mr Chilman's farm in a bid to stop MAFF vets from entering and valuing the herd before slaughter.

Mr Chilman, whose family has been building up the herd since the last foot-and-mouth outbreak in 1968, has been appealing to MAFF officials to spare his cattle since a case of foot-and-mouth was discovered at neighbouring Ravenshill Farm on April 7.

His phone was constantly engaged this morning as the Evening News tried to contact him.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff has faxed agriculture Minister Nick Brown over the issue.

"If the cows have to be slaughtered, even though it is 16 days since the outbreak on the neighbouring farm, then it has to come from the Minister himself and not MAFF officials based in Worcester," Mr Luff said.

"It is unacceptable for MAFF to behave in this way. The situation stinks and it is wrong."