BRITAIN’S oldest cow is settling in to a new home after facing an uncertain future.

Thirty-year-old Clara, a Friesian Holstein, has been taken on by Graeme Woods and Hayley Owen, who run a smallholding at Rowley Copse, Clawthorpe.

Clara was previously owned by Geoffrey Ford and had lived at Docker Park Farm Visitor Centre in Arkholme.

Mr Ford, who has just retired, appealed in December through The Westmorland Gazette for a new owner for Clara.

Mr Woods runs the smallholding as a hobby with Miss Owen.

“Let’s hope she’s got a few years left in her,” said Miss Owen. “She’s lovely.”

Mr Woods said: “I said to Greame: ‘If you haven’t got anywhere for her, I’ll take her on’. He rang me up and said: ‘I’m coming with the cow’”.

Mr Ford, who is still looking for a new buyer for Docker Park, said he was relieved. He said: “I thought I’d have to send her to a heavenly home.

“I was a bit sad to see her leave but now she’s got a wonderful home with everything she could need.”

Mr Woods, an agricultural contractor, and Miss Owen, a business consultant, have added Clara to their three other cows — Jersey, Blue and Acorn.

In her lifetime, Clara has given birth to 15 single calves and a set of twins.

She has been milked every day for 15 years, producing 43,000 gallons of milk, which would be enough to more than half fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool.