A TENANT farmer has been turfed off his farm after the Government bought back 155 acres of land next to Throckmorton airfield near Pershore.

The Ministry of Agriculture granted itself a special licence to move Paul Dunne's cattle and sheep to various locations after giving him 24 hours notice to leave the site.

"I was given a choice," said Mr Dunne, of Peopleton.

"Either agree to the slaughter of my 75 ewes with lambs and 43 cattle or get compensation or move them with MAFF's assistance.

"I also had 100 acres planted for silage to feed them during the winter which is now gone. Hopefully, I'll be compensated."

The land was bought for an undisclosed sum, but is believed to be in the region of £3m.

It was formerly owned by the Ministry of Defence but was sold off when the airfield runway was no longer in use.

A long row of family homes, formerly for servicemen and women, were also sold off to private buyers. They lie within the 155 acres, together with a residential home for the elderly.

The buy-back by MAFF has raised residents' fears.

They want to know what the Government is going to use the land for, and whether the promise not to burn animals in the area still stands.

MAFF said that the land had been bought back as a precaution.

"It was bought to create a zone around the burial site," said a MAFF spokesman.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff visited the burial site on Wednesday to see how the operation was running.

"It couldn't be run any better," said Mr Luff.

"I was very impressed by the quality of the operation and their attention to detail."