an aristocratic actress turned environmentalist has halted plans for one of britain’s first factory pig farms after teaming up with tv star dominic west marchioness of worcester tracy somerset and her campaign group, which included eton educated west, star of the wire, fought for four years against the proposal for an indoor farm to house 25,000 pigs the marchioness, 56, whose best known role was as tessa robinson in the 1980s tv detective series cats eyes, argued that the farming practice is cruel and leaves the animals unwell and stressed victory: tracy, marchioness of worcester has won a battle against a factory pig farm in derbyshire  enthusiast: the actress turned aristocrat is an outspoken campaigner for animal rights  midland pig producers has now withdrawn its application, saying it did so because the environment agency objected to smells that would affect residents near the planned pig farm at foston, derbyshire the marchioness, whose husband henry is heir to the badminton estate in gloucestershire, said the decision was a ‘victory for all who care about animals’ the peeress, an outspoken campaigner for sustainable farming, said: 'intensive, indoor animal factories belong to the past 'we hope this means people are waking up to the importance of knowing where their food comes from as well as the hidden costs of intensive farming 'there is mounting evidence that industrial, intensive pig rearing systems not only cause stress and illness in animals but also threaten human health' the former actress married henry somerset, heir to the duke of beaufort and the badminton estate, in 1987, although the couple separated last year star: the former actress is pictured left with  leslie ash in cats eyes, and right as miss scarlet in cluedo  aristocrat: lady worcester married henry, marquess of worcester, in 1987 and recently separated from him  activist: the campaigner led a protest against a proposed farm which she claimed would be cruel  after retiring from acting following a career which included playing miss scarlet in tv game show cluedo, she became an animal welfare activist she has previously broken into factory farms in poland and south america in order to stage protests there, and lobbied spectators at the badminton horse trials held on her own family's estate lady worcester said today: 'industrial scale farming threatens the livelihood of high welfare farmers in rural communities 'the regular over use of antibiotics in factory farm systems has produced antibiotic resistant superbugs 'in addition, they pollute water and air as well as damaging local businesses' as well as her animal rights advocacy, lady worcester has campaigned against britain's membership of the eu and in support of wikileaks founder julian assange celebrity: tv star dominic west also joined the campaign against the gigantic farm in derbyshire  home: lady worcester has previously lobbied spectators at the badminton horse trials, held at her family's ancestral home of badminton house, pictured  mr west, the star of acclaimed hbo drama the wire, was a high profile supporter of her campaign against the pig farm 'the proposed factory farming of 25,000 pigs is an abomination,' he said 'i hope mpp will not just set up somewhere else, so when we buy british we know we are not supporting this type of cruel and dangerous farming 'the costs are much too high, from the superficial horrors of stench and stressed, unhealthy animals to antibiotic resistance that brings us closer to the end of antibiotics as a cure for human diseases 'the world must move on, and we can all help by only buying pork from high welfare uk farms' a spokesman for mpp said: 'the time taken by the environment agency to reach its conclusions has drawn out the entire process way beyond our initial estimates, something totally beyond our control 'but we appreciate the pressure this has placed on the planning authorities and the lengthy period of uncertainty for local residents, both of which we feel could have been avoided 'we believe that there should be a fundamental overhaul of the planning and permit application process to prevent such a long winded situation from occurring again'
tracy ward marchioness of worcester dominic west derbyshire
tracy ward, marchioness of worcester, is a former tv actress who became a leading campaigner for animal rights  she launched protest against 'industrial farming' alongside dominic west  now company has scrapped plans for a factory pig farm in derbyshire 