THE campaign for British beef brought royalty and a host of top European chefs to the Cotswolds this week.

Prince Charles joined forces with the Meat and Livestock Commission to promote the case for British beef and brought chefs from eight countries to Grove Farm, the home of Douglas and Anna Scott, on Tuesday.

The Prince's guests were treated to a lunch, including beef from one of the farm's own South Devon cattle, before taking a tour of the farm's beef operation, where they were shown the strict measures put in place in the wake of the BSE crisis to ensure the safety and quality of beef.

Prince Charles himself declined to tuck into the spread because he has given up lunch for Lent.

Later he told his guests: "What we are trying to do is persuade you of the merits of British beef and particularly in this case Mr Scott's fine South Devon cattle."

He added: "You are probably the group that will most influence your countries' buying and eating habits.

"I do know you will not find better beef in the world than here in Britain and hopefully at the end of these two days you will agree."

Mr Scott's 145-hectare farm is home to a breeding herd of just over 100 cattle, many of which have won prestigious prizes at shows throughout the country.

The farm guests were shown three prizewinners - Asdig Concorde, a bull whose many prizes include breed champion at last year's Royal Welsh Show, a cow called Broad Oak Dewberry VIII and her daughter, a heifer called Grove Dewberry VIII.

The demonstrations of traceability and other quality-control measures were welcomed by the foreign contingent of chefs, who seemed very happy to speak out on behalf of the British product.

Klaus Bohler, director of kitchens at the Sheraton Frankfurt in Germany, which lifted its ban on British beef only last week, said the demonstrations had been a real eye-opener for him.

"This is the real way to give security and reassurance to the customer," he added.

Top chefs

Lindolfo Ribeiro, one of Portugal's top chefs, said his country was already importing British beef and added: "I think there is no reason to have any doubts.

"This visit has served to reassure people that you can trust British meat."

Mr Scott said he was particularly glad to see such a large contingent of reporters from the continent at the farm.

"It is the people in Europe we really need to talk to," be said. "We have had good coverage, so it will help to get the message through."

He said his farm bad never had a case of BSE and he had only ever seen BSE-infected cattle on television. He told the chefs: "We are just longing to get our beef back into the world market where it belongs."

After their tour of the farm, the party left for a meal at the top Manoir Aux Quatr' Saisons restaurant near Oxford, before spending yesterday (Wednesday) at the Prince's Higbgrove home where he has a herd of organic Aberdeen Angus cattle.