DAIRY farmer David Heap is sacrificing his herd so his son can chase an Olympic dream.

David and his wife Stephanie have continued the three generation family tradition running Adamson's Farm, Royle Road, Burnley, but times are changing because their son Craig is in full training as a gymnast and no longer helps work the land.

The former Barden High School student is now resident at the National Training Centre, Lilleshall, where he trains up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

And because he is no longer around to help, his parents have decided to sell their cows and grow crops instead.

Craig, 24, has recently had two operations on his leg and shoulder but is hoping to be fit for the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in August and is aiming to earn a place in the Great Britain squad at the Millennium Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

David said: "He had been working at the farm and training in Manchester in the afternoon. We were visited by his Russian coach who told us Craig was not just good - he was world class. We can still hear him saying that. It is sad that the dairy herd is being sold, but I wouldn't want to take anything away from Craig, he has a real talent. I think it would be selfish of anybody to try to stop another fulfilling his dream." The milk cows will be sold on June 27 and there will be a sale of heifers next spring.

The land will be used for crops to turn into horse feed and David is to apply for planning permission to use the land for an equestrian centre and provide stabling for competition horses.

David said: "My wife runs First Choice Pet Foods at junction 11 of the M65 and we are expanding that business as well.

"I have very strong views on the future of British agriculture. We are the best and we will prove we are the best but we are not needed at the present time.

"They won't really realise how much this country is dependant on British agriculture until it is not there. There is nobody looking to the future, farms are going to be turned into one big national park."

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