The first of the cattle arrived on May 14th, but their stay proved short-lived, as two promptly leapt a fence and headed off towards Chartham. Fortunately, a passerby alerted us and, between them, the grazier, a trustee and a couple of visitors, were able to coax the beasts back into the field. Apparently, the young animals had been living as part of a larger herd, and our grazier’s thought was that when they arrived in a much smaller group, they were spooked by a feeling of insecurity and wanted out. Fearing that there might be a repeat escape if left on the Marshes, the grazier decided to take them away for the time being. So, just as last summer, we are once again without the livestock that complete the Sidney Cooper landscape here. We hope to see some more docile animals back on the Marshes before too long.