The Devon farmer planning to reintroduce wildcats to English countryside

A Devon sheep farmer is confident of reintroducing wildcats to the English countryside after launching his own breeding programme.

The wildcat was once a common sight across England and Wales before they were wiped out by gamekeepers and interbreeding.

A small population remains in Scotland but conservationists say these are under increasing risk - and there are fears the animal could become extinct.

But Derek Gow, from west Devon, hopes to restore the wildcat to its former glory after breeding the animals on his farm.

Earlier this year, Derek shared a picture of his wildcat litter on Twitter - much to the joy of his followers.

In a more recent post, he said wildcats could become “kings” in the countryside if they were to be reintroduced because there is no obvious predator.

But that is precisely what some people fear, with Phil Stocker from the National Sheep Association concerned about the potentially harmful impact they could have on other wildlife.