Lancashire

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0:00:31 > 0:00:33You take an ordinary hard-boiled egg,

0:00:33 > 0:00:36you spend ages decorating it, and then you throw it down a hill.

0:00:36 > 0:00:40Apparently it's an age-old tradition here in Lancashire at Easter time,

0:00:40 > 0:00:42and I'm going to be trying my hand at it against this lot,

0:00:42 > 0:00:44who look very competitive.

0:00:44 > 0:00:47Just look down that camera and show them your game face...

0:00:47 > 0:00:49KIDS GROWL Oh, they mean business!

0:00:49 > 0:00:50They mean business!

0:00:53 > 0:00:58Anita uncovers some poignant reminders of Lancashire's past.

0:00:58 > 0:01:01Something upholds us in its palm

0:01:01 > 0:01:03Landscape, history, place and time

0:01:03 > 0:01:06And above, the same old witness moon.

0:01:08 > 0:01:09Tom's in Denmark,

0:01:09 > 0:01:13where a health scandal has engulfed their pig industry.

0:01:13 > 0:01:15But what could it mean for the UK?

0:01:15 > 0:01:18So far we have clear evidence that at least seven of our

0:01:18 > 0:01:22patients have died from MRSA CC398.

0:01:22 > 0:01:23And staying with pigs,

0:01:23 > 0:01:28Adam's confident the Large Blacks he's buying are in rude health.

0:01:28 > 0:01:31They're nice and friendly, aren't they? Hello!

0:01:31 > 0:01:34Hello! Look at her! She's having an itch on my welly!

0:01:47 > 0:01:49Lancashire,

0:01:49 > 0:01:52whose heather-clad moors, rolling green acres,

0:01:52 > 0:01:54and meandering rivers

0:01:54 > 0:01:58rub shoulders with bustling market towns and quiet villages.

0:02:01 > 0:02:03I've come to Penworthan,

0:02:03 > 0:02:06right by the River Ribble that runs through the county.

0:02:08 > 0:02:11It's Easter Sunday, and if it's eggs you're after,

0:02:11 > 0:02:12this is the place to be.

0:02:15 > 0:02:19This is Joe Brown. He's well-known around these parts.

0:02:19 > 0:02:23And for Joe there's one thing that's hard to beat -

0:02:23 > 0:02:24eggs.

0:02:26 > 0:02:29Joe was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at a young age,

0:02:29 > 0:02:31and thought he was unemployable.

0:02:31 > 0:02:33Then he discovered eggs.

0:02:33 > 0:02:37Now, nine years on, he has a thriving business delivering eggs

0:02:37 > 0:02:39in and around his hometown.

0:02:39 > 0:02:41- Hey, man!- See you later!

0:02:41 > 0:02:45- I'm on the BBC!- We'll be round with half a dozen in just a moment.

0:02:46 > 0:02:48'I'm going to give Joe a hand on his rounds.

0:02:48 > 0:02:50'First, we take delivery of the eggs,

0:02:50 > 0:02:52'which he gets from local producers.'

0:02:53 > 0:02:55- Morning, is it Lee?- It is, yeah.

0:02:55 > 0:02:58How are you, Lee? Nice to see you, mate.

0:02:58 > 0:03:00Right, there we are, then. So what have we ordered?

0:03:00 > 0:03:02We've ordered four medium, four extra large,

0:03:02 > 0:03:04and three regular large.

0:03:04 > 0:03:05Let's get packing.

0:03:09 > 0:03:11Hey, there's some weight in them, like, isn't there?

0:03:11 > 0:03:12Yeah. Keep up the good work.

0:03:17 > 0:03:20- How often are you getting these deliveries, Joe?- Once a week.- Right.

0:03:22 > 0:03:24- Thanks a lot.- No problem. - Welcome to showbiz!

0:03:24 > 0:03:28MATT LAUGHS Welcome to showbiz!

0:03:28 > 0:03:30Tremendous.

0:03:30 > 0:03:32Put 'em in your corner there, like so...

0:03:32 > 0:03:35- Tell you what, they keep you fit, these deliveries, don't they?- Yeah.

0:03:35 > 0:03:38- It's all good eggs-ercise! - OK, yeah...

0:03:38 > 0:03:41Oh, eggs-ercise, I see what you did there!

0:03:41 > 0:03:43OK...

0:03:43 > 0:03:45- We're all set, then, yeah? - Yeah.- All good.

0:03:45 > 0:03:47BELL RINGS

0:03:47 > 0:03:49On the round, here we go.

0:03:49 > 0:03:52- Even your car is egg-shaped. - Yeah, it's amazing.

0:03:55 > 0:03:59What's your best way of cooking them? What do you prefer?

0:03:59 > 0:04:02Er, just hard-boiled, you know, with soldiers, toast...

0:04:02 > 0:04:03Dabbing 'em...

0:04:03 > 0:04:06- Bit of a runny yolk?- Yes, that's it, that's the good stuff.

0:04:06 > 0:04:08- Mm, that's the good stuff.- Yeah.

0:04:09 > 0:04:12Where did the idea come from, Joe, for your egg round?

0:04:12 > 0:04:14Well, it originally came from a family friend.

0:04:14 > 0:04:15He's a poultry farmer,

0:04:15 > 0:04:19and I used to help him out stacking the eggs for his business.

0:04:19 > 0:04:21He originally came up with the idea of like, er,

0:04:21 > 0:04:24selling eggs to my local residents of Penworthan.

0:04:24 > 0:04:28And so when this all started, then, how many customers did you have?

0:04:28 > 0:04:31Oh, er, we only had about 30 customers to start with,

0:04:31 > 0:04:35but after word got around, we ended up getting around 450 customers.

0:04:35 > 0:04:37Do you know, it seems like a real challenge, that.

0:04:37 > 0:04:40450 customers every week?

0:04:40 > 0:04:43I always have a set time with my customers each day of the week.

0:04:43 > 0:04:48When I arrive there, they can always say they can set their watch by me!

0:04:48 > 0:04:49- Really?- Yeah.

0:04:51 > 0:04:54'Eggs go back a long way in Joe's family.

0:04:54 > 0:04:57'His great-grandad was a poultry farmer who sold eggs at local

0:04:57 > 0:05:01'markets, and his grandmother and mum were both brought up on farms

0:05:01 > 0:05:02'in Lancashire.'

0:05:03 > 0:05:06We've got loads of agriculture in the family.

0:05:06 > 0:05:12- We've been, er, farming for the past 500 years in Lancashire.- Really?

0:05:12 > 0:05:16'Well, these eggs aren't going to deliver themselves.

0:05:16 > 0:05:17'Better get cracking!'

0:05:17 > 0:05:19DOG BARKS

0:05:19 > 0:05:23- Hello!- Hello there!- How do you do? There you go, one medium as always.

0:05:23 > 0:05:25- We'll see you later. - OK, I'll see you next week.

0:05:25 > 0:05:27We can't stay for long because, you know,

0:05:27 > 0:05:29we've got a schedule to stick to.

0:05:29 > 0:05:30Righto, thank you, bye!

0:05:35 > 0:05:36- Righto.- Good.

0:05:38 > 0:05:42- Hello!- Hello! How are we doing? - We're doing all right.

0:05:42 > 0:05:44- Nice to see you, are you all right? - I'm fine, yes.

0:05:44 > 0:05:46And has Easter time always been

0:05:46 > 0:05:48a big tradition for you in your family?

0:05:48 > 0:05:52Well, it has. Well, Avenham Park is wonderful for the children.

0:05:52 > 0:05:57- Hundreds of people are on there. - Right.- And it's a slope.- Right.

0:05:57 > 0:06:00So the children usually throw chocolate Easter eggs first,

0:06:00 > 0:06:02and then, of course, they break,

0:06:02 > 0:06:06- and then you get pelted with the hard-boiled ones!- Oh, dear!

0:06:06 > 0:06:10And then usually you get little bodies rolling after them! I did...

0:06:10 > 0:06:14- The last ones, I painted the faces like the Beatles.- Did you?

0:06:14 > 0:06:17Painted the hair and the face.

0:06:17 > 0:06:19- You've given me an idea for decorating.- Very good.

0:06:19 > 0:06:21I think I might do the Rolling Stones!

0:06:21 > 0:06:23THEY LAUGH

0:06:24 > 0:06:28I'll be learning more about this old Lancashire tradition later on,

0:06:28 > 0:06:30and putting my egg-rolling skills to the test.

0:06:34 > 0:06:39But first, Denmark is one of the world's biggest pork producers,

0:06:39 > 0:06:42but they have a problem. Most of their herd is infected with

0:06:42 > 0:06:46an antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can infect people.

0:06:46 > 0:06:50So, are we headed in the same direction? Here's Tom.

0:06:57 > 0:07:02Denmark's flat and fertile landscape lends itself to grain.

0:07:02 > 0:07:07That's how two thirds of the land is used here,

0:07:07 > 0:07:12and the Danes have mastered the art of converting grain into pork.

0:07:22 > 0:07:27Denmark is world-famous for its bacon, and there's plenty of it

0:07:27 > 0:07:30to be found on British supermarket shelves too,

0:07:30 > 0:07:34which doesn't always sit that well with UK pig farmers.

0:07:34 > 0:07:35But, the fact is,

0:07:35 > 0:07:39our Scandinavian neighbours are very good at producing pork,

0:07:39 > 0:07:40and exporting it.

0:07:43 > 0:07:4890% of the pig meat the Danes produce is sold all over the world.

0:07:48 > 0:07:53125,000 tonnes comes into the UK every year.

0:07:55 > 0:07:58It means pig farmers, like Michael Lundgaard,

0:07:58 > 0:08:00have to be at the top of their game.

0:08:01 > 0:08:05Michael produces 20,000 pigs a year from his farm

0:08:05 > 0:08:06near Korsor on Zealand.

0:08:09 > 0:08:12This is intensive farming on a large scale.

0:08:13 > 0:08:17- So, what is it you like about the job?- Well, I like farming.

0:08:17 > 0:08:19I like the country life.

0:08:19 > 0:08:21I like working with pigs. Yeah.

0:08:21 > 0:08:25And Danish bacon, Danish pigs, have a strong reputation.

0:08:25 > 0:08:27- Are you proud of that? - I'm proud of it.- Yeah?- Yeah.

0:08:33 > 0:08:36A country of just five million people

0:08:36 > 0:08:40produces a staggering 30 million pigs every year.

0:08:41 > 0:08:44To sustain that high level of production,

0:08:44 > 0:08:46farmers need to keep their animals healthy,

0:08:46 > 0:08:50and just like humans, pigs can share germs,

0:08:50 > 0:08:53and some of them will get ill. And, just like humans,

0:08:53 > 0:08:56some of those diseases can be cured with antibiotics.

0:08:59 > 0:09:00But there's a problem.

0:09:00 > 0:09:04Sometimes, antibiotics don't kill off all the bacteria.

0:09:04 > 0:09:06The ones that survive multiply,

0:09:06 > 0:09:10passing on their ability to withstand treatment.

0:09:10 > 0:09:14The more antibiotics you use, the more likely this is to happen.

0:09:14 > 0:09:16This is antibiotic resistance.

0:09:17 > 0:09:20And one particular strain of resistant bacteria

0:09:20 > 0:09:23is rife on Danish pig farms.

0:09:23 > 0:09:30It's a type of MRSA, called CC398, or pig MRSA.

0:09:30 > 0:09:33It doesn't harm them. The problem is, it can harm us.

0:09:35 > 0:09:38It was first identified in Danish pigs in 2007,

0:09:38 > 0:09:42and it's been found in other parts of Europe too.

0:09:42 > 0:09:47In the UK so far, it's only been confirmed in six pigs.

0:09:47 > 0:09:52Ten years ago, it was found on only 3.5% of Danish pig farms,

0:09:52 > 0:09:56but now 88% are infected.

0:09:56 > 0:09:58Those working with pigs are at the highest risk,

0:09:58 > 0:10:01but they can pass it on to other people.

0:10:03 > 0:10:05In a country with more pigs than people,

0:10:05 > 0:10:07it's caused a public health scandal.

0:10:10 > 0:10:12For most of us, it poses very little risk.

0:10:12 > 0:10:15You can be a carrier and not know anything about it.

0:10:15 > 0:10:17It has been found on meat,

0:10:17 > 0:10:20but doesn't spread easily through eating,

0:10:20 > 0:10:23and is killed by proper cooking.

0:10:23 > 0:10:27But, for premature babies, the elderly, or the already unwell,

0:10:27 > 0:10:32it can prevent treatments from working, and that can be fatal.

0:10:34 > 0:10:36Here at Odense University Hospital,

0:10:36 > 0:10:41Professor Hans Jorn Kolmos works and lectures in medical microbiology.

0:10:46 > 0:10:49He treats patients with infections caused by pig MRSA.

0:10:51 > 0:10:56How serious a threat do you think CC398 is to human health?

0:10:56 > 0:10:59In most cases, nothing really happens,

0:10:59 > 0:11:05but a minority of patients that are colonised may become infected,

0:11:05 > 0:11:07and a minority of the infected patients

0:11:07 > 0:11:10may get a life-threatening infection.

0:11:10 > 0:11:14So far, we have clear evidence that at least seven of our patients

0:11:14 > 0:11:17have died from MRSA CC398.

0:11:17 > 0:11:20The professor is convinced of the cause -

0:11:20 > 0:11:22overuse of antibiotics on pig farms.

0:11:23 > 0:11:27It's evident that the amount of antibiotics that we use

0:11:27 > 0:11:33is high enough to fuel the epidemic and to make these organisms spread.

0:11:33 > 0:11:35We have to cut down by 90%.

0:11:36 > 0:11:38What do you think the lessons could be for the UK,

0:11:38 > 0:11:41considering we don't routinely test our pig farms for this,

0:11:41 > 0:11:43or patients coming into hospital?

0:11:43 > 0:11:45You are probably still in a position

0:11:45 > 0:11:49where your prevalence of MRSA CC398 is much lower,

0:11:49 > 0:11:53so it's easier to make interventions.

0:11:53 > 0:11:56The earlier you act, the easier you'll get rid of the problem.

0:12:00 > 0:12:03Professor Kolmos wants to reduce antibiotic use

0:12:03 > 0:12:08to protect the medicines humans rely on, but Denmark is already

0:12:08 > 0:12:11one of the lowest users of antibiotics on farms in Europe,

0:12:11 > 0:12:13even lower than the UK.

0:12:16 > 0:12:19Jan Dahl, a veterinary consultant for the Danish equivalent

0:12:19 > 0:12:24of the NFU, doesn't believe a 90% reduction is feasible.

0:12:26 > 0:12:30Not unless you really want to compromise

0:12:30 > 0:12:32animal health and animal welfare.

0:12:32 > 0:12:36Is this a problem which Danish pig farming has let get out of control?

0:12:36 > 0:12:39Well, if "getting out of control" means

0:12:39 > 0:12:41that it has been spreading, yes, it has been spreading,

0:12:41 > 0:12:45so in that way, yes, you could say that it's out of control.

0:12:45 > 0:12:49This is not as easy to control as many other infections,

0:12:49 > 0:12:54because it can be carried by people, so when people go from farm to farm,

0:12:54 > 0:12:57they can bring the MRSA with them to the next farm.

0:12:59 > 0:13:01The bacteria is so widespread,

0:13:01 > 0:13:06there are no obvious solutions, but doing nothing is not an option.

0:13:06 > 0:13:10The pig industry is being urged to act, and we should pay attention,

0:13:10 > 0:13:11because when it comes to pigs,

0:13:11 > 0:13:14Britain and Denmark have close connections.

0:13:15 > 0:13:19The UK imports a lot of pork and live pigs for breeding,

0:13:19 > 0:13:24so if they have a problem, there's a chance we might have one too.

0:13:24 > 0:13:26So, what can we learn from all this?

0:13:26 > 0:13:30Well, that's what I'll be finding out later, starting in this shed.

0:13:36 > 0:13:40This is the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire,

0:13:40 > 0:13:42an area famed for its beauty,

0:13:42 > 0:13:46where tinkling streams meander through quiet valleys,

0:13:46 > 0:13:49and Pendle Hill looms large over the countryside.

0:13:52 > 0:13:57But this wild and beautiful landscape tells a sorry tale.

0:13:57 > 0:14:02It was in this area that the so-called Pendle witches lived,

0:14:02 > 0:14:04and died.

0:14:05 > 0:14:10In the spring of 1612, 20 people were accused of witchcraft,

0:14:10 > 0:14:13and tried and executed at Lancaster Castle.

0:14:15 > 0:14:19Half of them came from Pendle and the surrounding area.

0:14:19 > 0:14:23To mark the 400th anniversary of those trials, a walk was created,

0:14:23 > 0:14:26which followed the route they took to meet their fate.

0:14:28 > 0:14:31Historian Robert Poole is an expert on the Pendle witches.

0:14:31 > 0:14:34He's joining me for the first stretch of the walk.

0:14:35 > 0:14:38So, whereabouts is Pendle Hill from here?

0:14:38 > 0:14:40Pendle Hill is over there, underneath the mist.

0:14:40 > 0:14:42We have mist over Pendle.

0:14:42 > 0:14:43You can just about see it.

0:14:43 > 0:14:47It was this rather poor landscape that all the village life took place

0:14:47 > 0:14:50that gave rise to the Pendle witch trials.

0:14:50 > 0:14:51- Shall we carry on?- Let's.

0:14:51 > 0:14:53We've got quite a way to go.

0:14:54 > 0:14:55'The witches were marched

0:14:55 > 0:14:58'51 miles through this very countryside, the beauty of

0:14:58 > 0:15:02'the landscape at odds with the ugly fate that awaited them.'

0:15:04 > 0:15:07So, let's just get it straight - these poor women

0:15:07 > 0:15:10that were put to death as witches, had they done anything wrong?

0:15:10 > 0:15:13They were poor. They were dependent.

0:15:13 > 0:15:17They got part of their living from, if you like, begging with menaces.

0:15:17 > 0:15:19They would be taken to cure sick cows,

0:15:19 > 0:15:22to try and cure ale that had gone bad mysteriously,

0:15:22 > 0:15:24and so on, and some of these spells would go wrong,

0:15:24 > 0:15:27there would be arguments over payment.

0:15:27 > 0:15:30We have all sorts of neighbourly disputes, and this low-level

0:15:30 > 0:15:33situation had been going on for a long time, maybe 20 years.

0:15:33 > 0:15:37In 1612, there was a piece of witchcraft apparently happened

0:15:37 > 0:15:39that seriously injured somebody.

0:15:39 > 0:15:44'Gossip and rumour spread, accusations were made,

0:15:44 > 0:15:46'false confessions obtained.'

0:15:46 > 0:15:50Well, the initial round-up of witches happened just before Easter.

0:15:50 > 0:15:52So, on Good Friday, which is, of course,

0:15:52 > 0:15:54the holiest day of the Christian year,

0:15:54 > 0:15:58at a time when most people should have been at church,

0:15:58 > 0:16:03the family members who were still free got some of their neighbours

0:16:03 > 0:16:07together to have a meeting, I think to decide what to do about trying

0:16:07 > 0:16:11to get their family members off the charge of witchcraft.

0:16:11 > 0:16:15And this meeting was afterwards magnified into a great meeting of

0:16:15 > 0:16:18witches from the whole region to plot revenge.

0:16:18 > 0:16:22'When word of the meeting got out, their fates were sealed.'

0:16:22 > 0:16:25I'm feeling the sense of injustice so strongly.

0:16:25 > 0:16:28How do the people who live here feel about the story?

0:16:28 > 0:16:32Well, something very important happened in August 2012

0:16:32 > 0:16:34for the 400th anniversary.

0:16:34 > 0:16:36The new church in Pendle is here,

0:16:36 > 0:16:39the church where a lot of it happened in the village around.

0:16:39 > 0:16:45And they had a service to commit the souls of the ten witches who'd been

0:16:45 > 0:16:49executed, because they'd never had a proper burial service.

0:16:49 > 0:16:52This included the words that, "400 years ago,

0:16:52 > 0:16:57"ten of our parishioners were falsely accused of witchcraft."

0:16:57 > 0:16:59It was the most handsome gesture of apology,

0:16:59 > 0:17:02and very appropriate for the 400th anniversary.

0:17:04 > 0:17:07It's a wrong that still resonates down the centuries,

0:17:07 > 0:17:09but some small justice has now been done.

0:17:11 > 0:17:14It was two local artists, Sue and Pete Flowers,

0:17:14 > 0:17:16who came up with the idea for the walk.

0:17:16 > 0:17:20They've joined me in Slaidburn, pretty even in the rain,

0:17:20 > 0:17:22and we're taking the route to the moors.

0:17:23 > 0:17:24We're headed for

0:17:24 > 0:17:25a very special spot,

0:17:25 > 0:17:27where the poet laureate,

0:17:27 > 0:17:28Carol Ann Duffy,

0:17:28 > 0:17:30has left her mark on the witches' walk.

0:17:33 > 0:17:36Wow! This is what I'm talking about!

0:17:36 > 0:17:39- It's fabulous, isn't it? - It's amazing.

0:17:39 > 0:17:42And what a coup, to get the poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy,

0:17:42 > 0:17:45to write a poem that you have handily got distributed

0:17:45 > 0:17:47on these markers along the way.

0:17:47 > 0:17:52She wrote it as tercets, which are ten Anglo-Saxon rhymes,

0:17:52 > 0:17:56so we spread them out, ten across the whole route.

0:17:56 > 0:17:58Each one has one of the tercets written on the top of it,

0:17:58 > 0:18:02which you can actually, with a wax crayon and a piece of paper,

0:18:02 > 0:18:06take a rubbing off, so you can collect these all along the route.

0:18:06 > 0:18:09Each one is numbered, so this is tercet six,

0:18:09 > 0:18:13and each one has the name, Elizabeth Device on this one,

0:18:13 > 0:18:16of one of the women that were hung.

0:18:16 > 0:18:19But we hope that people will collect their rubbings,

0:18:19 > 0:18:22- and have the whole poem in their own little book.- Yeah.

0:18:22 > 0:18:27I think I should see what bit's written on here.

0:18:27 > 0:18:29Something upholds us in its palm

0:18:29 > 0:18:32Landscape, history, place and time

0:18:32 > 0:18:34And above, the same old witness moon.

0:18:38 > 0:18:41This walk started in 2012.

0:18:41 > 0:18:45Has it changed attitudes towards the story of the women?

0:18:45 > 0:18:46I think so, yeah.

0:18:46 > 0:18:49And I think the poem really helps to illustrate that story.

0:18:49 > 0:18:52Yeah, so while you're walking along the route,

0:18:52 > 0:18:54- you can work out how you feel about some of that history.- Wow!

0:18:54 > 0:18:59It is so beautiful and exhilarating on a day like today,

0:18:59 > 0:19:01where we are just getting lashed.

0:19:01 > 0:19:04I can only imagine what it's like on a beautifully sunny day.

0:19:04 > 0:19:07It just gets... As you get down towards the coast

0:19:07 > 0:19:11and Lancaster Castle, the kind of landscape changes, and the bay,

0:19:11 > 0:19:14it all kind of rolls out ahead of you, so it's quite stunning

0:19:14 > 0:19:16to go through those different ranges of landscape.

0:19:16 > 0:19:19What I think we need to do now is focus on the important stuff,

0:19:19 > 0:19:21which is - how many miles to the next pub?

0:19:21 > 0:19:24Quite a long way that way. Another 15 miles, probably.

0:19:24 > 0:19:26Let's go. We've come this far!

0:19:26 > 0:19:29Come on, Buster. Let's go. Whoo!

0:19:29 > 0:19:31And there he went.

0:19:35 > 0:19:39Now, here's Steve Brown, Paralympian wheelchair rugby captain,

0:19:39 > 0:19:42fresh from his stint on Countryfile Diaries.

0:19:43 > 0:19:47When he's done battling it out on the court, Steve loves nothing more

0:19:47 > 0:19:51than picking up his binoculars and heading into the great outdoors.

0:19:53 > 0:19:56This is Brockholes Nature Reserve,

0:19:56 > 0:19:59a jewel in Lancashire's wildlife crown,

0:19:59 > 0:20:02just a stone's throw from the M6,

0:20:02 > 0:20:05and I'm hoping there's a seasonal spectacle in store.

0:20:08 > 0:20:11Over the years, I've ticked many species off my wish list,

0:20:11 > 0:20:13but there's one animal I've never had the chance to see -

0:20:13 > 0:20:15that's the elusive brown hare.

0:20:18 > 0:20:21It's one of the unique sights of spring - male hares

0:20:21 > 0:20:25chasing the females round and round in a bid to mate with them.

0:20:26 > 0:20:28Then, the mad March Hare ritual,

0:20:28 > 0:20:31when the female fights off the male to see how fit he is.

0:20:32 > 0:20:35They're normally quite shy animals, but at this time of the year,

0:20:35 > 0:20:38the gloves come off, and the crack of dawn is the right time to see it.

0:20:40 > 0:20:41'To improve our chances,

0:20:41 > 0:20:44'volunteers will be keeping an eye out around the site,

0:20:44 > 0:20:48'and as soon as they see something, we're off.'

0:20:48 > 0:20:51- So, today's the day, eh? - We're going to try and take you

0:20:51 > 0:20:53to a perfect spot where we can get

0:20:53 > 0:20:55a good view of some brown hares

0:20:55 > 0:20:58- across a meadow area.- Do you know what? That's going to be fantastic.

0:20:58 > 0:20:59Fingers crossed.

0:20:59 > 0:21:01I hope so, I've got meself out of bed at the crack of dawn,

0:21:01 > 0:21:03travelled half the country to be here.

0:21:03 > 0:21:05The least they can do is show up as well.

0:21:13 > 0:21:14Tell you what,

0:21:14 > 0:21:17my dad and my brothers would love coming up here and seeing this,

0:21:17 > 0:21:18they really would.

0:21:19 > 0:21:21'But it looks like mission impossible.'

0:21:23 > 0:21:25Three brown hares over by the play area now.

0:21:26 > 0:21:29- OVER RADIO:- 'Yeah, received, Charlie, thank you. Out.'

0:21:29 > 0:21:31'And then, a tip-off.

0:21:31 > 0:21:32'Action stations!'

0:21:35 > 0:21:37We've got them, we've got them.

0:21:37 > 0:21:39There's another one there!

0:21:39 > 0:21:41Blimey O'Reilly!

0:21:41 > 0:21:45So, there's three, four... I've never seen hares ever!

0:21:47 > 0:21:51I cannot believe that they're so close, and they're so brazen.

0:21:52 > 0:21:54This is fantastic!

0:21:58 > 0:22:00Look at them just sitting up on that ridge there like that.

0:22:00 > 0:22:02You can get a cracking view of the ears there.

0:22:02 > 0:22:03Those are fabulous ears, those.

0:22:03 > 0:22:06- Oh, here we go, here we go. - There they go, look at that!

0:22:09 > 0:22:11The male's the one that's chasing the others away,

0:22:11 > 0:22:14so it must be a group of males trying to get in at the female.

0:22:17 > 0:22:19He's just keeping his distance now.

0:22:19 > 0:22:21He's waiting for his moment.

0:22:22 > 0:22:24Come on, come on, come on.

0:22:24 > 0:22:27She definitely told to clear off. She wasn't ready for him.

0:22:27 > 0:22:28- Just a reminder.- Yeah.

0:22:28 > 0:22:30Sneaky! ALAN LAUGHS

0:22:32 > 0:22:36'There's definitely a party in the park this morning.

0:22:36 > 0:22:38'Suddenly, it's all happening!'

0:22:38 > 0:22:39Oh, look out! Look at this!

0:22:41 > 0:22:42Coming in for landing.

0:22:43 > 0:22:46Looks like he's going to take your head off!

0:22:47 > 0:22:50- Are you kidding me? - Yeah, definitely a kestrel.

0:22:50 > 0:22:52He's not really going to stop and hov...

0:22:52 > 0:22:55- Oh, yes, he is! - Oh, beautiful, that.

0:22:56 > 0:22:58I can't believe that.

0:22:58 > 0:23:00Kestrels to the right of us, hares to the left,

0:23:00 > 0:23:02and I'm stuck in the middle with you!

0:23:02 > 0:23:04ALAN LAUGHS

0:23:04 > 0:23:07'It's been a great morning so far,

0:23:07 > 0:23:09'and all just a few hundred yards from the M6!

0:23:11 > 0:23:14'Wildlife seems to have a real foothold here,

0:23:14 > 0:23:16'so what's the secret?

0:23:16 > 0:23:19'To find out, I'm meeting conservation manager, Tim Mitcham.'

0:23:20 > 0:23:23So you've had the site now then for ten years,

0:23:23 > 0:23:25you've been open to the public for six.

0:23:25 > 0:23:27What changes have you made over that time?

0:23:27 > 0:23:28The changes have been spectacular.

0:23:28 > 0:23:31We've gone from a site that really was nothing more than a puddle

0:23:31 > 0:23:35in the ground to a spectacular wildlife reserve.

0:23:35 > 0:23:38We've made the edges of the lake shallower, for instance,

0:23:38 > 0:23:41which encourages all sorts of dabbling ducks and so on.

0:23:41 > 0:23:43It's like a service station for wildlife,

0:23:43 > 0:23:46the birds are coming up from Africa at the moment,

0:23:46 > 0:23:49so I'll expect to see things like sand martins and swallows and swifts

0:23:49 > 0:23:52arriving, and of course, the reed beds that we're walking along now

0:23:52 > 0:23:55will be absolutely full of warblers singing their hearts out

0:23:55 > 0:23:56all day long.

0:23:56 > 0:23:58And the wildlife that has come along,

0:23:58 > 0:24:00is there anything that's been brand-new?

0:24:00 > 0:24:02Anything you didn't expect to see?

0:24:02 > 0:24:04Well, you know, the thing that's really caught my imagination

0:24:04 > 0:24:07is in the last year or so, we've been seeing things like otters

0:24:07 > 0:24:09turning up on the site, which is phenomenal, really.

0:24:09 > 0:24:12Could they breed in the future? We don't know.

0:24:12 > 0:24:14TRAFFIC PASSES You've got the hum of the M6,

0:24:14 > 0:24:16you can't get rid of it,

0:24:16 > 0:24:19and yet nobody and nothing seems to mind.

0:24:19 > 0:24:21Well, the wildlife isn't really bothered by that.

0:24:21 > 0:24:23It's a constant drone, and very quickly,

0:24:23 > 0:24:26you stop even noticing it yourself, and they just get on with it.

0:24:26 > 0:24:30If you provide the opportunities, nature will move in.

0:24:32 > 0:24:35One species here in good numbers is the lapwing.

0:24:36 > 0:24:40Nationally, they're on the RSPB's red list of endangered birds,

0:24:40 > 0:24:42meaning they're one of our most vulnerable,

0:24:42 > 0:24:44but here, they're thriving.

0:24:45 > 0:24:48At the moment, when they're nesting, the really nice thing is,

0:24:48 > 0:24:50there's not much vegetation there,

0:24:50 > 0:24:53so it means that when a lapwing is sitting in the nest,

0:24:53 > 0:24:55it can actually look out and spot any danger.

0:24:55 > 0:24:58And a great thing about lapwings is,

0:24:58 > 0:25:00they actually do what it says on the tin,

0:25:00 > 0:25:02they actually lap their wings,

0:25:02 > 0:25:05so they are very much a recognisable bird.

0:25:07 > 0:25:09But also, when they're on the ground as well,

0:25:09 > 0:25:11they've got that fabulous crest as well.

0:25:11 > 0:25:13They're an absolutely beautiful bird.

0:25:14 > 0:25:17The birds we see here, that we're looking at here now,

0:25:17 > 0:25:19are fairly easy ones to recognise, so it is a really good place.

0:25:19 > 0:25:20Not just a nursery for birds,

0:25:20 > 0:25:22but maybe a nursery for bird-watchers as well.

0:25:22 > 0:25:25- Yeah, that's nice.- Because we're actually sitting here watching them.

0:25:25 > 0:25:27Really nice.

0:25:27 > 0:25:29And what about your last "wow" moment?

0:25:29 > 0:25:31When was the last time you turned up and went,

0:25:31 > 0:25:33"I have not seen one of those before!"

0:25:33 > 0:25:37We had 200 curlew one year, one winter,

0:25:37 > 0:25:40just flocking together and heading off to the coast.

0:25:40 > 0:25:42Look at them over there!

0:25:42 > 0:25:45All the cormorants lined up, look, drying their wings.

0:25:45 > 0:25:49They are quite dramatic birds, and the way they stretch their wings,

0:25:49 > 0:25:52it's always something quite wonderful to watch.

0:25:55 > 0:25:56It's just an amazing island, this.

0:25:56 > 0:26:02But you say amazing island, it's 40 metres across and 20 metres back.

0:26:02 > 0:26:05- Yeah.- The diversity of the animals,

0:26:05 > 0:26:08and how they all live in harmony on there, it's excellent, isn't it?

0:26:08 > 0:26:10And to think that that's all they need.

0:26:12 > 0:26:16'It's fantastic to see the lapwings doing so well here.

0:26:16 > 0:26:18'What a great place to be.'

0:26:19 > 0:26:20Well, it's been a brilliant day,

0:26:20 > 0:26:23but the real thrill for me was seeing hares...

0:26:24 > 0:26:26.a sure sign that spring is on the way.

0:26:32 > 0:26:35Earlier, we heard how antibiotic resistant bacteria

0:26:35 > 0:26:38are spreading from Danish pig farms to people.

0:26:38 > 0:26:42They've been found in a small number of British pigs,

0:26:42 > 0:26:44so how can Denmark's experience help us?

0:26:44 > 0:26:46Here's Tom.

0:26:52 > 0:26:55I'm exploring a public health scandal that's engulfed

0:26:55 > 0:26:58Denmark's world-famous pig industry.

0:27:00 > 0:27:06As I heard earlier, MRSA CC398 is an antibiotic resistant bacteria

0:27:06 > 0:27:09that can pass from pigs to people, from person to person,

0:27:09 > 0:27:12and, in rare cases, can be fatal.

0:27:12 > 0:27:16Danish pig farmers are under huge public pressure to get on top of it.

0:27:20 > 0:27:24The UK imported nearly 700 live pigs from Denmark last year,

0:27:24 > 0:27:26so it's in our interest too.

0:27:28 > 0:27:33Almost all conventional Danish pig farms are infected with pig MRSA,

0:27:33 > 0:27:37but you can't know for sure until you test for it.

0:27:37 > 0:27:38PIG SQUEALS

0:27:38 > 0:27:42Like the UK, there's no compulsory testing in Denmark.

0:27:42 > 0:27:44Some farmers are reluctant to volunteer

0:27:44 > 0:27:47for fear of being stigmatised locally.

0:27:47 > 0:27:49Sometimes, it's easier just not to know.

0:27:52 > 0:27:54But Michael Lundgaard, whom I met earlier,

0:27:54 > 0:27:57is one of the few willing to have his pigs tested.

0:27:57 > 0:27:59He wants to help in this fight.

0:28:00 > 0:28:02He's working with Professor Karl Pedersen

0:28:02 > 0:28:04from the Danish Veterinary Institute

0:28:04 > 0:28:08to find out if disinfecting the farm has made a difference.

0:28:11 > 0:28:12PIG SQUEALS

0:28:12 > 0:28:15Wow, they certainly squeal a lot at this age!

0:28:18 > 0:28:20'The test is quick and painless,

0:28:20 > 0:28:23'and the piglets are back with mum in seconds.

0:28:24 > 0:28:27'These pigs are positive, so am I at risk too?'

0:28:27 > 0:28:31You are very likely to be positive, I have to say that.

0:28:31 > 0:28:35Just from being here for an hour or so, it's probably in my...

0:28:35 > 0:28:37- On me, is it, somehow? - Yes, it will be.

0:28:37 > 0:28:39Well, let's find out. How does this happen?

0:28:39 > 0:28:44- Well, like we did with the pigs...- OK!- It is fairly easy.

0:28:44 > 0:28:46I will try not to squeal as much as the pig.

0:28:50 > 0:28:53Oh, it tickles! It makes me want to sneeze.

0:28:55 > 0:28:56'The samples will be sent to a lab,

0:28:56 > 0:28:59'and I'll find out if I'm infected later.

0:29:01 > 0:29:05'Karl has struggled to find volunteers for his experiments,

0:29:05 > 0:29:08'as some farmers have reported that they and their families

0:29:08 > 0:29:10'have been shunned by neighbours.'

0:29:12 > 0:29:15- Are you worried about what people around here might think?- Yes.

0:29:15 > 0:29:17Yes, very much.

0:29:17 > 0:29:20And my wife is very much worried.

0:29:20 > 0:29:23- Do you feel brave? Do you think you've been...?- No! No, no, no.

0:29:23 > 0:29:25- So you really want to understand it? - Yes.

0:29:28 > 0:29:33Pig MRSA is largely associated with intensive production.

0:29:33 > 0:29:37Studies suggest infection is much lower in free-range pigs.

0:29:39 > 0:29:42But most Danish pigs are reared indoors,

0:29:42 > 0:29:44with the routine use of antibiotics,

0:29:44 > 0:29:49so can changes be made to stop new resistant bacteria from developing?

0:29:51 > 0:29:54Henning Jakobsen produces 38,000 pigs a year from his farm

0:29:54 > 0:29:58in Jutland, and he's doing it without antibiotics.

0:30:00 > 0:30:0492% of the pigs do not get antibiotics in their lifetime.

0:30:04 > 0:30:07Really? So only eight out of 100 of these pigs

0:30:07 > 0:30:08are actually getting antibiotics ever?

0:30:08 > 0:30:10Yeah.

0:30:10 > 0:30:13We put an ear mark on the pigs,

0:30:13 > 0:30:16showing that they are antibiotic free.

0:30:16 > 0:30:19So it guarantees that, when it goes to slaughter,

0:30:19 > 0:30:21- that has not had antibiotics.- Yeah.

0:30:21 > 0:30:26'This is still an intensive system, but instead of using antibiotics,

0:30:26 > 0:30:29'Henning focuses on disease prevention,

0:30:29 > 0:30:30'and there's even a special diet.'

0:30:32 > 0:30:34We use probiotic in the food,

0:30:34 > 0:30:38so good bacterias can compete with the bad ones.

0:30:38 > 0:30:42So, probiotic, that's like a yoghurt people get me to drink

0:30:42 > 0:30:44- because it's good for my health? - Yeah, yeah.

0:30:44 > 0:30:47What happens when some of your piglets do get ill?

0:30:47 > 0:30:50If they do become ill, then we treat them, like normal.

0:30:50 > 0:30:52And what happens to those pigs,

0:30:52 > 0:30:53cos they're no longer antibiotic free?

0:30:53 > 0:30:57Then it's taken out of the concept, and sold as a normal pig.

0:30:57 > 0:30:58Right, right.

0:30:58 > 0:31:03Is this system, overall, a more costly way of creating pork?

0:31:03 > 0:31:05Yeah. Quite a lot. Quite a lot.

0:31:05 > 0:31:08We do get paid extra for our pigs.

0:31:10 > 0:31:12'Henning is a revolutionary,

0:31:12 > 0:31:16'but is the rest of the pig industry ready to follow his lead?

0:31:16 > 0:31:19'Jan Dahl seems open to the idea.'

0:31:19 > 0:31:22It's a bit niche, yes, but I wouldn't write it off as irrelevant.

0:31:22 > 0:31:25I think it's a system where we can learn something.

0:31:25 > 0:31:31'But, even if farmers stopped using antibiotics altogether, pig MRSA

0:31:31 > 0:31:34'is here to stay, and Jan has a warning for the UK.'

0:31:34 > 0:31:37I think, first of all, you need to find out where you are,

0:31:37 > 0:31:40so I would take a sample of your farms and investigate and see

0:31:40 > 0:31:44what's going on there, and then I think I would recommend that you

0:31:44 > 0:31:48do like we do in Denmark, that if you are working with pigs,

0:31:48 > 0:31:50then when you get into the hospital,

0:31:50 > 0:31:54you take a swab sample and find out whether you are carrying the MRSA,

0:31:54 > 0:31:57and then you can be treated accordingly.

0:32:00 > 0:32:02So, what is going on in the UK?

0:32:02 > 0:32:06Well, no-one really knows as there's no widespread testing.

0:32:06 > 0:32:10The National Pig Association says producers are aware of

0:32:10 > 0:32:14public concern, and recommend that all imported pigs are tested.

0:32:14 > 0:32:16It also reiterates...

0:32:24 > 0:32:27And what of the test I took earlier?

0:32:27 > 0:32:31Thankfully, it was negative, and levels were low in the pigs too.

0:32:31 > 0:32:35When bacteria become resistant to antibiotics,

0:32:35 > 0:32:37they outsmart our defences.

0:32:37 > 0:32:41These piglets suggest there are ways of cutting the chances of that

0:32:41 > 0:32:44happening, but it comes at a price

0:32:44 > 0:32:47on what we pay for pork in our shops.

0:32:47 > 0:32:48Is that worth it?

0:32:48 > 0:32:53Well, in the end, protecting our pig herds means protecting our health.

0:33:01 > 0:33:05I'm in Preston, not far from Avenham Park, where each Easter,

0:33:05 > 0:33:08a special competition takes place,

0:33:08 > 0:33:10and decorated eggs are the key to it.

0:33:11 > 0:33:13They don't just scramble them, boil them, or fry them.

0:33:13 > 0:33:16Here, they roll them, and before they roll them,

0:33:16 > 0:33:18it's all about the decor.

0:33:19 > 0:33:22It's an old tradition called pace-egging,

0:33:22 > 0:33:26where decorated eggs are rolled down a hill in a bid to see

0:33:26 > 0:33:29whose rolls the furthest without cracking,

0:33:29 > 0:33:32and I'm meeting some of the hard-boiled competitors.

0:33:32 > 0:33:36- Right, what's happening over here, team?- So what we're doing is

0:33:36 > 0:33:40we are going to paint the egg into either a pig or a cow.

0:33:40 > 0:33:44- What have you decided to go for? - I am going to do a cow.

0:33:44 > 0:33:45Oh, good!

0:33:45 > 0:33:48- Are you doing a Friesian cow, so black and white?- Yeah.

0:33:48 > 0:33:51- That's handy, because we've got black and white paint.- Yeah!

0:33:51 > 0:33:54I can't believe that people here spend a lot of time

0:33:54 > 0:33:56decorating eggs, and then roll them down a big hill.

0:33:56 > 0:33:58- Is that actually what happens?- Yeah.

0:33:58 > 0:34:02- Yeah, sometimes we can do chocolate eggs.- See how far it goes.

0:34:02 > 0:34:05- What did you decorate last Easter? - I did a bunny at home.

0:34:05 > 0:34:08Nice. I was thinking of doing a bunny.

0:34:08 > 0:34:11I might stick some ears on, and then draw some eyes on, and a nose,

0:34:11 > 0:34:14- and then maybe get some pipe cleaner whiskers.- Yeah.

0:34:14 > 0:34:19- And so, is art your favourite lesson at school?- Yeah, I love art.

0:34:19 > 0:34:22- So do my friends.- I love art.

0:34:23 > 0:34:26'Right, I'm going to leave the children to finish off,

0:34:26 > 0:34:28'and get some tips from artist, Linda Martin.

0:34:30 > 0:34:33'Linda's been decorating eggs for more than 30 years,

0:34:33 > 0:34:35'so she must know a thing or two.'

0:34:36 > 0:34:39Well, obviously, Linda, you can go to incredible detail,

0:34:39 > 0:34:42which you have done here. You have got some wonderful examples.

0:34:42 > 0:34:45I got slightly carried away.

0:34:45 > 0:34:47As far as the fashion of egg design is concerned,

0:34:47 > 0:34:49when did it really start to take off?

0:34:49 > 0:34:52Well, egg art has been in existence literally for centuries,

0:34:52 > 0:34:55and different cultures have different ways of decorating eggs.

0:34:55 > 0:34:58Chinese civilisations would gold leaf their eggs.

0:34:58 > 0:35:00And people would dye eggs in different colours.

0:35:00 > 0:35:04- Like this one here. - Yeah, that one is using onion skin.

0:35:04 > 0:35:07So really, anything that is a natural product,

0:35:07 > 0:35:10anything that will stain your hands, as you're preparing it, in

0:35:10 > 0:35:13terms of fruit or vegetables, that can be used then to dye your eggs.

0:35:13 > 0:35:15This is a guinea fowl.

0:35:15 > 0:35:18When I first started doing egg art, an old gentleman said to me,

0:35:18 > 0:35:21"When we were kids, we used to play tennis with these."

0:35:21 > 0:35:23HE LAUGHS

0:35:23 > 0:35:25And apparently, he did quite well.

0:35:28 > 0:35:30'With fine egg art like this,

0:35:30 > 0:35:34'you need to remove the contents of the egg before you decorate it.

0:35:34 > 0:35:37'They call it egg blowing. It takes a bit of skill,

0:35:37 > 0:35:40'but I should be all right if I follow Linda's example.'

0:35:40 > 0:35:42So, apply a fair amount of pressure.

0:35:42 > 0:35:45When you're struggling to put a needle through a hen's egg,

0:35:45 > 0:35:48can you imagine what it's like to hatch from a shell?

0:35:48 > 0:35:49That's it, you're through.

0:35:49 > 0:35:53That's probably souffled the inside of the egg!

0:35:53 > 0:35:58If you just pop your finger over the top and then just gently squeeze.

0:35:58 > 0:36:01Ooh, yes. I saw something.

0:36:01 > 0:36:03- Oh, dear!- OK...

0:36:03 > 0:36:06- What happened there?! - I think the shell broke.

0:36:08 > 0:36:10'Right, take two.'

0:36:10 > 0:36:13It'll be absolutely fine this time, you watch.

0:36:13 > 0:36:15- Yeah.- I'm making the hole a bit bigger this time.

0:36:15 > 0:36:18Yeah, I think you're going a little bit more...

0:36:20 > 0:36:23- Wonderful.- There we are. Good. Oops.

0:36:23 > 0:36:27'Job done. Let's see how the children are getting on.'

0:36:29 > 0:36:32How are we doing here? Is that glue you've got there?

0:36:32 > 0:36:34Let me hold that pot.

0:36:34 > 0:36:36Under there.

0:36:36 > 0:36:40- What do we think to that, Linda? - I think that's absolutely superb.

0:36:40 > 0:36:43'Eggs are a great canvas to work on and I think these children

0:36:43 > 0:36:46'have come up with some smashing designs.'

0:36:46 > 0:36:48Completed! Yeah!

0:36:48 > 0:36:52- Well done.- Right. I think I need to decorate one now. Shall I?- Yeah.

0:36:52 > 0:36:53- Yeah.- Yeah?

0:36:53 > 0:36:57'And later, I'll be taking my place alongside the competitors at

0:36:57 > 0:37:00'Avenham Park, the Wembley Stadium of pace-egging.

0:37:03 > 0:37:05'Now, as we heard from Tom earlier,

0:37:05 > 0:37:09'keeping livestock healthy is a concern for every pig farmer,

0:37:09 > 0:37:11'but there's more than one way to rear a pig.

0:37:11 > 0:37:15'And when a new rare breed comes on to Adam's farm, it's even

0:37:15 > 0:37:19'more important to make sure that they're in tip-top condition.'

0:37:20 > 0:37:22I love this time of year.

0:37:22 > 0:37:26Most of the animals have been put out to pasture after a winter

0:37:26 > 0:37:30under shelter, but there's just one more group to sort out, my pigs.

0:37:30 > 0:37:33I have three rare breeds of pig on the farm -

0:37:33 > 0:37:37Gloucestershire Old Spots, Berkshires, and Tamworths.

0:37:37 > 0:37:39And then in here,

0:37:39 > 0:37:43we've got a type of pig called an Iron Age and these are the piglets.

0:37:43 > 0:37:46They're a cross between a Tamworth and a wild boar.

0:37:46 > 0:37:49I need to make sure the piglets are equipped and healthy for the

0:37:49 > 0:37:52next few months, before I turn them out onto pasture.

0:37:52 > 0:37:54And that's where this comes in.

0:37:54 > 0:37:57I need to worm these little ones and that involves a small injection.

0:37:57 > 0:38:00They're susceptible to worms in early life, so it's really

0:38:00 > 0:38:03important that we get it done while they're still young.

0:38:03 > 0:38:07Right then, little piggies. They're not hugely fond of this process.

0:38:07 > 0:38:09- PIGLET SQUEALS - All right. Shush.

0:38:09 > 0:38:11Shush. Shush.

0:38:14 > 0:38:17There we are. It's just a little injection.

0:38:17 > 0:38:18- There. All done. - PIGLET SQUEALS

0:38:20 > 0:38:22Very noisy.

0:38:24 > 0:38:27It's interesting. They squeal a lot when you pick them up,

0:38:27 > 0:38:30but actually when the needle goes in, they're reasonably quiet.

0:38:30 > 0:38:33It's just being off the ground that frightens them a bit.

0:38:33 > 0:38:35PIGLET SQUEALS

0:38:35 > 0:38:37Whoa.

0:38:37 > 0:38:39PIGLET SQUEALS

0:38:40 > 0:38:43Well, that's certainly a very noisy job.

0:38:43 > 0:38:47But it's not as bad as it sounds and it's essential for their welfare.

0:38:49 > 0:38:51They'll be kept in for another couple of days while the

0:38:51 > 0:38:53medicine does its trick.

0:38:53 > 0:38:56But for their mother, she's back out into the field.

0:38:58 > 0:38:59There. There we go, fella.

0:38:59 > 0:39:01Got you a new wife.

0:39:01 > 0:39:03Go on, then.

0:39:06 > 0:39:10A sow will get pregnant about three to six days after she's been

0:39:10 > 0:39:13weaned and so the boar's already interested in her.

0:39:13 > 0:39:16So we've got three different boars on the farm.

0:39:16 > 0:39:20And they can be quite aggressive. We have to keep them separate,

0:39:20 > 0:39:23otherwise they'll fight and can do each other a lot of damage.

0:39:25 > 0:39:28You can see his teeth, his tusks,

0:39:28 > 0:39:31that he chomps together to sharpen, makes them razor sharp,

0:39:31 > 0:39:32so when they're fighting,

0:39:32 > 0:39:36the boars throw their heads up into each other's shoulders and

0:39:36 > 0:39:40you can see on his shoulder here, he's got these great big plates

0:39:40 > 0:39:44of gristle that protect him from the other boars' tusks and in fact,

0:39:44 > 0:39:46he's got a scar there,

0:39:46 > 0:39:49where one of the boars cut him when they were fighting once.

0:39:49 > 0:39:51Thankfully, it's healed up quite nicely,

0:39:51 > 0:39:53but there's real power in this animal

0:39:53 > 0:39:55and I have to be quite careful around him,

0:39:55 > 0:39:58particularly if I've got the smell of another boar on me.

0:39:58 > 0:40:01He could do you a lot of damage if he wanted to.

0:40:02 > 0:40:04And because they're such a handful,

0:40:04 > 0:40:06I won't be buying any more boars soon.

0:40:06 > 0:40:09But I'm always keen to increase the size of my herd,

0:40:09 > 0:40:12especially when it's a breed I've never kept before,

0:40:12 > 0:40:14so I'm going shopping.

0:40:14 > 0:40:17One thing I really enjoy is buying new and different breeds for

0:40:17 > 0:40:19the farm and I'm really excited about the animal

0:40:19 > 0:40:21I'm off to buy now...

0:40:23 > 0:40:25..the Large Black pig.

0:40:25 > 0:40:27They're critically rare,

0:40:27 > 0:40:31with fewer than 350 breeding sows left in the UK.

0:40:31 > 0:40:35Martin Snell is a leading breeder of the oldest herd in the country,

0:40:35 > 0:40:38so I'm looking to buy a couple of his.

0:40:40 > 0:40:44- Hi, Martin.- Good morning, Adam. - What a lovely sight.

0:40:44 > 0:40:46Aren't they beautiful? Very docile.

0:40:46 > 0:40:49That's what they're renowned for, the Large Blacks,

0:40:49 > 0:40:52they're really nice and docile and as you can see, we've got a nice big

0:40:52 > 0:40:55field here, no fencing round it or nothing, and they just wander

0:40:55 > 0:40:57around and go back to their sheds later on at night.

0:40:57 > 0:41:01- Do they?- Yeah.- And how long have you had them in your family?

0:41:01 > 0:41:04Well, my father came to this farm when he was a week old and

0:41:04 > 0:41:07- so my grandfather had them before that.- Three generations.

0:41:07 > 0:41:09Three generations now.

0:41:09 > 0:41:11There actually is a picture of me actually showing

0:41:11 > 0:41:13a pig when I was two years old.

0:41:15 > 0:41:17They're bigger than a lot of the pigs I know,

0:41:17 > 0:41:20bigger than our Tamworths and Gloucesters.

0:41:20 > 0:41:22- Yes, yeah.- I'm a big Gloucester fan.

0:41:22 > 0:41:25How do they compare with the temperament?

0:41:25 > 0:41:27Gloucester is a cantankerous female.

0:41:27 > 0:41:29This is my county breed, you're talking about!

0:41:29 > 0:41:31I couldn't really care.

0:41:31 > 0:41:34They're the most cantankerous thing you can think of.

0:41:34 > 0:41:37You can't help where you were born, can you?

0:41:38 > 0:41:41- Now, the Large Black is quite rare, isn't it?- Yes.

0:41:41 > 0:41:44They say there's more Siberian tigers than there are

0:41:44 > 0:41:46Large Blacks in the world.

0:41:46 > 0:41:49- Why is that? - People didn't like black hairs,

0:41:49 > 0:41:51whereas a white hair doesn't really show up.

0:41:51 > 0:41:54So if you've got your crackling with black hairs on it, people didn't

0:41:54 > 0:41:57- like it.- No, you can actually see the black hairs.

0:41:58 > 0:42:00They're just beautiful.

0:42:01 > 0:42:05'Before we go to see the pigs Martin has set aside for me,

0:42:05 > 0:42:07'I'm keen to have a look at the quality of the bloodline...

0:42:08 > 0:42:11'..and this is one relaxed mum.'

0:42:12 > 0:42:14- She's just laid in the sunshine. - Yeah.

0:42:14 > 0:42:18We want to have nice ears,

0:42:18 > 0:42:22which come up to the tips of their nose, maybe just over or just

0:42:22 > 0:42:26behind, and then we want it nice and broad between the eyes.

0:42:26 > 0:42:28And then we're coming back through here,

0:42:28 > 0:42:32we don't want too much jowl, not like I've got through here!

0:42:32 > 0:42:34And then we're going back through here.

0:42:34 > 0:42:37Every pig should have seven really good well placed teats.

0:42:37 > 0:42:40- On either side.- On either side. - 14 in total.- 14 in total.

0:42:40 > 0:42:42And they've got some length about them, haven't they?

0:42:42 > 0:42:45They've got an awful lot of length about them, you can actually

0:42:45 > 0:42:48see here now properly where you get your bacon from.

0:42:48 > 0:42:49You get back bacon down through to there,

0:42:49 > 0:42:52then you get your belly bacon down through to there.

0:42:52 > 0:42:54I have to say, if they turn out like her, I'll be very happy.

0:42:54 > 0:42:58Yeah, I should think you will be. I probably didn't charge you enough!

0:42:58 > 0:43:00- Once a farmer, always a farmer.- Yeah.

0:43:06 > 0:43:09Adam, your pigs are down here, but before we get down there,

0:43:09 > 0:43:12I thought, as you're a Gloucestershire man

0:43:12 > 0:43:14and how bad Gloucesters are to load,

0:43:14 > 0:43:17I've got my brother here to help me load them up.

0:43:17 > 0:43:19- Hello, Adam.- Good to see you. Good to see you.

0:43:19 > 0:43:22So, where are these crazy pigs, then? Oh, they've disappeared?!

0:43:22 > 0:43:26Yeah, that's cos you're here! Let's go on down to see them.

0:43:26 > 0:43:28Come on, then. Oh, they look lovely, Martin.

0:43:28 > 0:43:32- Good.- Wonderful. Hello. - Come on, girls.- Hello, girls.

0:43:32 > 0:43:35'These girls are nine months old and pregnant.

0:43:35 > 0:43:39'Pigs can always pick up germs, whether reared inside or out,

0:43:39 > 0:43:43'but the lifestyle here certainly suits this lot.'

0:43:43 > 0:43:46They're in great nick, aren't they? Perfect condition.

0:43:46 > 0:43:49And I suppose the health of your pigs is very important.

0:43:49 > 0:43:51Yeah, we're extensive, not intensive.

0:43:51 > 0:43:55And because you haven't got so many pigs in an indoor system,

0:43:55 > 0:43:57they're less at risk.

0:43:57 > 0:43:59Look at her! She's having an itch on my welly!

0:44:02 > 0:44:06'Once I've made the trailer a bit more comfy for their travels,

0:44:06 > 0:44:08'it's time to get them loaded.'

0:44:08 > 0:44:10Come on, then. That's it, good girls.

0:44:10 > 0:44:13Nice and steady. Go on.

0:44:13 > 0:44:14Look at that.

0:44:14 > 0:44:16Not like a Gloucester, is it?

0:44:16 > 0:44:19Leave my Gloucesters alone.

0:44:19 > 0:44:21Perfect. Loaded and ready to go.

0:44:27 > 0:44:29- Cheers, Martin.- Cheers, Adam. Have a good trip.

0:44:29 > 0:44:33- And I hope they do you well.- Thank you very much.- Cheers.- All the best.

0:44:39 > 0:44:43'Just a short drive back to the Cotswolds and they're ready

0:44:43 > 0:44:44'to meet their new mates.'

0:44:49 > 0:44:54Go on, then. There's a good girl. That's it. This is your new home.

0:44:54 > 0:44:55Go on.

0:44:55 > 0:44:57I'll just keep them in here for a couple of weeks

0:44:57 > 0:44:59while they settle in.

0:44:59 > 0:45:01But this is a very proud moment,

0:45:01 > 0:45:04introducing another rare breed to the farm.

0:45:04 > 0:45:08And hopefully, like my dad did for the Gloucestershire Old Spot, I'm

0:45:08 > 0:45:12doing my little bit to help secure the future of the Large Black pig.

0:45:15 > 0:45:19But the real heroes are people like Martin Snell,

0:45:19 > 0:45:22so important in keeping our British rare breeds alive.

0:45:30 > 0:45:34I've been taking a walk through some stunning Lancashire countryside,

0:45:34 > 0:45:37following in the footsteps of the Pendle witches,

0:45:37 > 0:45:40along a trail named in their memory.

0:45:44 > 0:45:49It takes in high places, low places, open moorland, and woodlands,

0:45:49 > 0:45:52just like this. I'm here to meet a skilled woodworker,

0:45:52 > 0:45:56who's going to show me how to make a besom broom,

0:45:56 > 0:45:59a traditional household item that became associated with witches.

0:45:59 > 0:46:02If you go down to the woods in Lancashire,

0:46:02 > 0:46:04you don't know what you're going to find!

0:46:04 > 0:46:07- You don't.- How are you, Natasha? - Very good. Nice to meet you.

0:46:07 > 0:46:08- Lovely to see you.- You too.

0:46:08 > 0:46:12- Now, is your name, let's get this clear, really Natasha Twigg?- It is.

0:46:12 > 0:46:14People call me Twiggy.

0:46:14 > 0:46:18- These are fantastic.- Yeah. - And you still hand-make them.

0:46:18 > 0:46:20These are handmade, yeah.

0:46:20 > 0:46:24These have got a birch top, with a hazel handle.

0:46:24 > 0:46:26'Not just transport for witches,

0:46:26 > 0:46:30'there was a time every home would have had a besom broom.'

0:46:30 > 0:46:34They're the best broom for clearing up leaves, especially in the autumn.

0:46:34 > 0:46:36Well, you know what I'm going to ask you, Twiggy, don't you?

0:46:36 > 0:46:39You're going to have to show me how you put these things together.

0:46:39 > 0:46:41Of course. Yeah. Would you like to

0:46:41 > 0:46:45- come and have a go?- Yeah, let's do it. Absolutely. OK.

0:46:45 > 0:46:49- Step into my little workshop. - Amazing portable workshop. Right.

0:46:49 > 0:46:51- Have a seat.- Thank you.

0:46:51 > 0:46:54So, this is the material. We use the top of the young birch really.

0:46:54 > 0:46:56We don't use the old birch.

0:46:56 > 0:47:00When birch grows a bit older, the tops just sag a little bit and just

0:47:00 > 0:47:04go over, so we want the nice young birch, which is nice and straight.

0:47:04 > 0:47:05It's not brittle.

0:47:05 > 0:47:08So what we're doing here is we're just dealing with the top really.

0:47:08 > 0:47:11Don't worry about the bottom bit. You don't have to have them all

0:47:11 > 0:47:14- lining up at the bottom.- Oh, OK. - Just look at the tops and make sure

0:47:14 > 0:47:16that you kind of get the tips

0:47:16 > 0:47:20- all more or less lined up at the top.- How big do they have to get?

0:47:20 > 0:47:23- I don't know... Just keep going? - Yes, just keep going.

0:47:23 > 0:47:27You want a fair good old bunch there in there.

0:47:27 > 0:47:29We all know a broom from our childhood stories,

0:47:29 > 0:47:31whether it's about witches or whether it's knowing what they're

0:47:31 > 0:47:34actually used for, or whether it's because you think you need one to

0:47:34 > 0:47:36- play Quidditch on, I don't know.- Exactly.

0:47:36 > 0:47:39OK, you've got a little bit of sisal there.

0:47:39 > 0:47:43You can just put a loop on just to hold it all in place.

0:47:43 > 0:47:46What we'll do next, we'll just trim them off.

0:47:46 > 0:47:50'A simple foot clamp holds the birch twigs whilst they're trimmed.'

0:47:50 > 0:47:54And then we'll just use the bow saw to take off the end bits there.

0:47:55 > 0:47:57- There we go.- As easy as that.

0:47:57 > 0:47:59Now...

0:48:00 > 0:48:04OK. Can we just switch the camera off for five minutes?

0:48:04 > 0:48:06And come back to me. Here we go.

0:48:08 > 0:48:09Success!

0:48:09 > 0:48:11Perfect.

0:48:13 > 0:48:17'That wasn't as dangerous as it looked...honest.'

0:48:17 > 0:48:20- Brilliant.- There we go. - All it needs now is a handle.

0:48:22 > 0:48:25- That's it.- OK, so it's just... Oh, wow!

0:48:25 > 0:48:27- Yeah.- This tool is brilliant.

0:48:28 > 0:48:31- Am I the worst apprentice you've ever had?- No, not at all.

0:48:31 > 0:48:32LAUGHTER

0:48:32 > 0:48:36'Now, we just have to join the two bits together.'

0:48:36 > 0:48:39- Push it in as far as it'll go. - That's it.- Yeah.- Mm-hm.

0:48:39 > 0:48:41Then what I want you to do is just give it

0:48:41 > 0:48:44- a good old few taps on there. - Right, then.

0:48:44 > 0:48:46'Three taps and magic.'

0:48:46 > 0:48:48There we go. Can see the handle's not moving there.

0:48:48 > 0:48:51It's not twisted or anything. Nice and tightly on.

0:48:51 > 0:48:54A little bit on an angle, but if you're happy with that...

0:48:54 > 0:48:56It might help with your sweeping action.

0:48:56 > 0:48:58I don't have a straight sweeping action, so actually,

0:48:58 > 0:49:01it's almost designed specifically for me.

0:49:01 > 0:49:03- There we go. Handmade.- Yes.

0:49:03 > 0:49:07- For yourself.- I absolutely, honestly, I love it.

0:49:07 > 0:49:10What an experience, to come to the woods here in Lancashire and

0:49:10 > 0:49:12build something so ancient and traditional.

0:49:12 > 0:49:16- And it's beautiful. Thank you. - Pleasure.- I can't wait to use it.

0:49:16 > 0:49:19- All right, then, I'll see you later. - See you now.

0:49:23 > 0:49:26'The walk continues through countryside that's hardly

0:49:26 > 0:49:29'changed since the time of the witch trials, but just

0:49:29 > 0:49:33'a stone's throw from the route are reminders of the modern world,

0:49:33 > 0:49:35'like this, Stocks Reservoir,

0:49:35 > 0:49:38'looking lovely, now the sun's come out.

0:49:38 > 0:49:41'It's an important reservoir and the woodlands planted nearby have

0:49:41 > 0:49:44'a surprising part to play in keeping the water clean.

0:49:44 > 0:49:46'I'm meeting Twist the spaniel

0:49:46 > 0:49:48'and his owner Dave Oyston to find out more.'

0:49:48 > 0:49:51So many of us take for granted that we turn on our taps and we

0:49:51 > 0:49:54have clean running water to drink, but obviously a lot goes into that.

0:49:54 > 0:49:56So can you explain a bit of the process?

0:49:56 > 0:49:59This is the biggest reservoir in Lancashire and it is the main

0:49:59 > 0:50:00one in the forest of Bowland.

0:50:00 > 0:50:02This is the top of our production line.

0:50:02 > 0:50:05When the rain falls out of the sky, it falls on the land and we need

0:50:05 > 0:50:08to keep that raw water that we're dealing with as clean as we

0:50:08 > 0:50:12- possibly can.- And how does this spectacular landscape play

0:50:12 > 0:50:15- a part in all of that? - Where you plant trees,

0:50:15 > 0:50:20they create much more absorbent soil conditions, so that has two effects.

0:50:20 > 0:50:22That stops very fast run-off of water,

0:50:22 > 0:50:25so it allows the water to percolate from the land in a more

0:50:25 > 0:50:28controlled manner, more sustained manner, into the reservoirs.

0:50:28 > 0:50:31Also, it does filter it. It filters a lot of the nutrients out and

0:50:31 > 0:50:34a lot of the nasties out, if you like.

0:50:34 > 0:50:36Trees act as a natural filter for us.

0:50:36 > 0:50:38So again, very, very cost effective way and

0:50:38 > 0:50:41a very environmentally friendly way of treating that water.

0:50:43 > 0:50:45Dave performs regular tests

0:50:45 > 0:50:47to check the trees are doing their job.

0:50:49 > 0:50:53- So there we are. A pint of Lancashire's finest.- That's not bad.

0:50:53 > 0:50:55That's not bad, is it, for raw water?

0:50:55 > 0:50:57'Well, this is as far as I go.

0:50:57 > 0:51:00'I'll save the rest of this stunning walk for another day.'

0:51:02 > 0:51:04He's lovely, isn't he?

0:51:04 > 0:51:07Now, Twist might not care about the weather, but we certainly do,

0:51:07 > 0:51:11so here's the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead. Come on, Twist!

0:51:11 > 0:51:12Come on!

0:51:12 > 0:51:14Come on, then!

0:52:09 > 0:52:10We're in Lancashire,

0:52:10 > 0:52:14where things have taken on a decidedly seasonal twist.

0:52:14 > 0:52:18Easter celebrations have been going on all over the country,

0:52:18 > 0:52:21but here in Lancashire, they really know how to put on an Easter party.

0:52:21 > 0:52:24I was going to go with egg-stravaganza,

0:52:24 > 0:52:27but I thought it might be a bit much.

0:52:27 > 0:52:31This is Avenham Park in Preston, famous for the part it's played

0:52:31 > 0:52:34in Easter celebrations since Victorian times.

0:52:34 > 0:52:37Every Easter Monday since the 1860s,

0:52:37 > 0:52:41families have gathered here to take part in an ancient tradition.

0:52:41 > 0:52:43Now, it's called pace-egging.

0:52:43 > 0:52:46Basically, you take an ordinary egg, you hard-boil it,

0:52:46 > 0:52:50then you decorate it in all sorts of wonderful and fanciful ways.

0:52:50 > 0:52:53Then you get to the top of a big hill and roll it down.

0:52:53 > 0:52:57You then see whose egg rolls the furthest with the least

0:52:57 > 0:52:59number of cracks in it.

0:53:00 > 0:53:03And it can get a bit rough and tumble.

0:53:03 > 0:53:07Keeping an eye on the class of 2017 is their teacher, Miss Pattinson.

0:53:07 > 0:53:10Have you been rolling eggs here ever since you were this age?

0:53:10 > 0:53:12I have, for as long as I can remember,

0:53:12 > 0:53:14- I've been on Avenham Park, yeah.- OK.

0:53:14 > 0:53:17And what's the best technique, then, that we should be aiming for?

0:53:17 > 0:53:19Ooh, it's all about the underarm action.

0:53:19 > 0:53:22- Right!- Underarm action. - OK.- It is, yeah.

0:53:22 > 0:53:25And as far as the actual span of the hill is concerned,

0:53:25 > 0:53:28would you be favouring any particular spot?

0:53:28 > 0:53:30I think I'd go central. Yeah, steepest part is always the best.

0:53:30 > 0:53:33Right. Let's have a look at all of your lovely designs that you've

0:53:33 > 0:53:37been doing. That's good. Yeah, I like that one. That's good.

0:53:37 > 0:53:39Ooh!

0:53:39 > 0:53:42Hey, look. That looks like a winner to me! OK, are we up for this?

0:53:42 > 0:53:43Are we ready?

0:53:43 > 0:53:44ALL YELL AND CHEER

0:53:46 > 0:53:50'And here's Anita with the rest of the class.'

0:53:50 > 0:53:52Come on. You need to get to the top of the hill.

0:53:52 > 0:53:55'Looks like we've got some competition.'

0:53:55 > 0:53:56Get to the best place!

0:53:57 > 0:53:59Quick!

0:54:01 > 0:54:03To the top!

0:54:03 > 0:54:05Last one to the top's a rotten egg!

0:54:05 > 0:54:07Oh!

0:54:07 > 0:54:10- Oh! No!- You look quite good, considering you've just run up

0:54:10 > 0:54:13- a hill.- I'm exhausted. - Hey! You got egg-sausted in.

0:54:13 > 0:54:15It's contagious.

0:54:15 > 0:54:18- Are we ready for this?- What are we doing?- Have you all got an egg?

0:54:18 > 0:54:21- Yeah!- Yeah!- Show me your eggs. Show me your eggs.- I haven't got

0:54:21 > 0:54:24- an egg.- You haven't got an egg. There, I've done one for you.

0:54:24 > 0:54:26- Oh!- There you go.

0:54:26 > 0:54:28This is sabotage cos mine's got ears, so it's less aerodynamic.

0:54:28 > 0:54:30I thought you'd like it. I designed it.

0:54:30 > 0:54:33- I love it.- You can have this dodgy one that our cameraman did.

0:54:33 > 0:54:35Show me your eggs.

0:54:35 > 0:54:37- Who's going to win?- Me!

0:54:37 > 0:54:40- Me!- I think we know who the most competitive is, don't we?

0:54:40 > 0:54:42- Baker Boy!- No, no, no.

0:54:42 > 0:54:45- Not at all.- Come on, you and me. - Are we ready for this?- Yeah.- I am.

0:54:45 > 0:54:46On my count, then.

0:54:46 > 0:54:49- Be lucky for me.- On three. Two, one, roll!

0:54:57 > 0:54:58Oh, mine's peeled!

0:55:08 > 0:55:09Oh, dear!

0:55:09 > 0:55:13How's it looking? Oh, that's good. Very good. Look at me rabbit!

0:55:14 > 0:55:17And there's mine. LAUGHTER

0:55:17 > 0:55:19It's peeled! But it's not cracked.

0:55:19 > 0:55:22- But your clothes on!- It's not even... Look!- Oh, my goodness me.

0:55:22 > 0:55:25It's not cracked. That's all we've got time for for this week.

0:55:25 > 0:55:28Next week, we're going to be in my neck of the woods in County Durham,

0:55:28 > 0:55:31where I will be helping out with a very special delicacy.

0:55:31 > 0:55:34And Ellie is going to be getting drenched in one of England's

0:55:34 > 0:55:37- most beautiful waterfalls.- Bye for now.- See you.- See you next week.

0:55:37 > 0:55:41Happy Easter. Right, keep going! All the way! Come on!