A west Wales farming family who braved the TV cameras to allow filming of a heartbreaking TB cull of their herd have been recognised by farming union members.

FUW members across Wales have voted to award the Bob Davies memorial Award to Wyn and Enid Davies who run the family farm at Castell Howell near Capel Isaac, Carmarthenshire.

Their bravery and strength in allowing the Welsh agricultural TV show ‘Ffermio’ on to their farm to film the horrific process of putting down a quarter of their dairy milking herd due to bovine TB was recognised by FUW members from all over Wales.

All three generations at Castell Howell treated their cows as ‘pets’ Enid explained and could not fathom why they had to endure the pain of seeing the cattle being put down on the farm rather than off-site.

The award, in memory of Farmers’ Weekly Wales correspondent Bob Davies, is offered to an individual or group that has raised the public profile of Welsh farming.

Receiving the award, a shepherd's crook specially carved by Richard Hughes, Mathafarn, from FUW president Ian Rickman, Enid Davies said: “We just hoped that by sharing our story it could hopefully help someone else. We wouldn’t wish anyone to go through what we’ve been through and hope that by showing what happened to us we might help other farmers and families feel less alone.”

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Presenting the award, Ian Rickman said: "We can shout and stamp our feet all we want but if our message isn’t heard then our effort is wasted. We need people to hear our story.

“The FUW are truly thankful to Enid, Wyn and all the Davies family for allowing the Ffermio cameras onto their farm during the horrific process of putting down a quarter of their dairy milking herd because of bovine TB.

“Their strength in allowing the public to see them at their most vulnerable is why we were proud to present Enid and Wyn Davies, Castell Howell, Capel Isaac with the Bob Davies Memorial Award.”