Cumbria farm issues warning after cows found 'chewing on balloons'

The team at Netherhall Herefords, north of Kirkby Lonsdale, said livestock are at risk of consuming the plastic of the balloons, with two cows having already died as a result in the past.

A farm spokesman said: "Our cows are going out to calve next week and we are picking up three or four balloons a week.

"One was being chewed inside the shed this morning."

The cows that the farm wants to protect from invading balloons (Image: Netherhall Herefords)

While the issue may at first appear innocuous, the owners outlined just how serious it has the potential to be.

"Cows and calves are curious and will chew and swallow them, resulting in a certain and very painful death," they added.

"Please don't buy them [balloons] and especially don't let them go - they will also harm and kill other animals."

The fears surrounding the often ignored threat come from a place of experience at Netherhall Herefords, having lost livestock through the inadvertent eating of balloons and lanterns.

"We've noticed this problem for the last five years but it has been steadily getting worse - and it has been really bad this year," they said.

"We lost a calf who had ingested plastic and a cow which had swallowed wire, which we suspect came from lanterns that had landed on the fields - these were both found during the post-mortem."

The Cumbrian fields these cows love are repeatedly being littered by fallen balloons (Image: Netherhall Herefords)

Having taken their concerns to social media, the farm was met with an onrushing of support, with many people sharing their own experiences.

One person said: "It makes me so angry because it's littering the planet on top of being harmful to animals - there have to be better ways to remember people or celebrate birthdays."

Another commented: "Folk have no idea where they end up - if they want to commemorate a loved one, why not plant a tree or scatter wild flower seeds?"