'Hellbent' farmer takes on National Trust after being told to remove his horses from popular cliff edge
Nick Beynon, 61, was told to remove the animals from the picturesque cliffs at Rhossili, on the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, by December 1
A farmer is "hellbent" on taking on the National Trust after officials ordered him to remove his horses from a clifftop because of "health and safety" fears.
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Nick Beynon, 61, was told to remove the animals from the picturesque cliffs at Rhossili, on the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, by December 1.
The trust claimed in a letter to Mr Beynon that his horse numbers exceeded "the agreed limit" under ancient grazing rights, adding that it had received several "complaints" after one of his stallions escaped through a gate.
The experienced farmer was shocked by the "nasty letter", which he said "came out of the blue".
In it, the Trust asked him to provide information on his grazing rights - a legal entitlement to allow livestock to feed in a specific area.
They also told him that the number of horses needed to be reduced to fall in line with the grazing limit.
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But Mr Beynon is determined to keep the horses on the cliff, insisting his family have been farming in the area for generations.
He added that he would be forced to sell any animals removed from the beauty spot, which would be a "loss for the community".
"I've got better things to do in life than chasing round solicitors and digging out facts," Mr Beynon said.
"My family has had the horses for years and we own the land joining the cliff."
Farmers in the area have rallied behind Mr Beynon in his battle against the Trust, describing its request as "impossible" and "insensitive".
"The horses are special and they've been there for over 100 years," said local farmer Rob Morgan.
Mr Beynon claims the issue lies in the fact that the land boundaries are not properly fenced, with a gate costing a "couple of hundred pounds" needing to be fixed to stop the horses from escaping.
But the Trust said statement that there was "already a secure boundary" in place at Rhossili and that fencing was not required.
The Trust also mentioned issues with a stallion who had repeatedly escaped through a pedestrian gate.
"He pushes his way through visitors on to the road, car park and into the village," it said.
"This is why we are concerned about not only public safety but the horses' welfare."
The Trust believed moving the horses was the best way to ensure the "safety of visitors, the welfare of the grazing animals and the ecological health of Rhossili".
Officials say they will "engage" with Mr Beynon to "further understand" the number of horses that could remain as part of the commoner's rights to graze on the land.