A LONG-extinct iconic Cumbrian pig could be on the way back thanks to a project that aims to revive the breed using DNA extracted from an old hide.

Terry Bowes, who runs an animal shelter in Teesdale as well as farms in Cumbria, has been working with university students to attempt to recreate the Cumberland pig after close to 50 years of extinction.The latest batch of piglets from the project have been sent off for DNA testing, and Mr Bowes hopes that the results will come close to his target of 98.9 per cent similarity to the original iconic breed.

The latest batch of piglets from the project have been sent off for DNA testing, and Mr Bowes hopes that the results will come close to his target of 98.9 per cent similarity to the original iconic breed.

Mr Bowes said: "The piglets we have are doing very well. Their ears are starting to flop and they have good, course coats like the original breed. It is certainly very interesting.

"I would really like to see the return of proper Cumberland sausages made from Cumberland pigs.

"I want to see these pigs bred by Cumbrian farmers within the old Cumberland borders.

"Since the pigs went extinct in the 1960s, the taste of the sausages has changed. The pork in supermarkets doesn't have a lot of taste.

"At the moment Cumberland sausages do not have protected status. I would like to see the proper sausages made using the proper meat, and with protected status."

Mr Bowes explained that the Cumberland pig initially went extinct because they were unviable to farm as they took a long time to fatten up.

Saddened to see the breed die out, he got hold of an old hide of a Cumberland pig and set about tracing the DNA to find that the breed could be recreated using the gene pool that contributed to the breed in the first place.

The breeds that Mr Bowes found shared DNA with the Cumberland were Tamworth, Gloucester old spots and a Polynesian kunekune.

The latter had a presence in the DNA of the Cumberland pig thanks to Whitehaven's history as an important port - also the reason that the traditional Cumberland sausage uses a lot of spice.

In 2008 Mr Bowes bred a pig named Wendy, which was his first major success in reviving the Cumberland. However she was infertile, so more pigs needed to be bred.

The project was put on hold as Mr Bowes moved his Wetheriggs animal rescue shelter to Teesdale, and did not have enough space for the project. Three years later, and he has started it up again.

The results from the latest batch of piglets to be analysed will determine how much closer Mr Bowes is to achieving his goal.

When he achieves his goal of producing a pig that is close enough to the original Cumberland breed, Mr Bowes hopes to see it farmed and traditional Cumberland sausages, make in Cumbria, back on the menu.

"We still have connections in the area from when we lived in Penrith," said Mr Bowes. "Farmers have been very keen to be involved with the project."