Flying feathers were temporarily settled when agreement was reached in Oxford County Court over the number of pheasants which can be reared this year on Lord Rotherwick's 6,000-acre estate.

Lord Rotherwick claimed his Cornbury Park estate could only sustain the rearing of 20,000 pheasants and partridges, but chartered surveyor Michael Murphy had heavily overstocked with 60,000 birds reared for shooting.

Mr Murphy, from Ramsden, near Woodstock, leases 3,000 acres of the estate including the ancient Wychwood Forest, once a royal hunting ground.

Mr Murphy agreed to restrict the number of birds reared this year to 45,000 and introduced measures to prevent Lord Rotherwick's deer herd from eating the game birds' feed Emtryl, which could contaminate venison.

The Ministry of Agriculture suspended Lord Rotherwick's supply of venison to butchers last autumn following fears the carcases were contaminated. Lord Rotherwick only discovered in October that his deer were eating the bird feed, but tests proved the carcases were not infected.

Judge Paul Clark granted temporary injunctions restricting Mr Murphy's activities pending a full High Court hearing of various issues between the two parties in October.

Story date: Wednesday 24 February

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