The couple bringing buffalo farming to Cornwall

It was a chance encounter which prompted Henry and Coral Menhenitt to take on the world of buffalo farming.

Two years on, the couple keep a whole herd of the animals at their farm in Delabole, North Cornwall, rearing them for their meat and feeding their local community.

While they can be "a bit cheeky sometimes" - "with the horns you do have to be a bit more cautious," Coral says - the couple are yet to have any trouble.

"(We) randomly found one for sale and looked into it - I thought that would be really interesting, see how we go," Coral told BBC Farmwatch.

"Now look at us."

Having taken on Belmont Farm in 2024, the pair now had 18 buffalo, including three calves and five yearlings - with eight still to calve.

And they have also quickly got to grips with their herd's quirks.

Asked about their calls, Coral said: "It's more of a honk crossed with a moo - it's definitely an interesting noise.

"The babies learn it very early on and they've all got individual calls.

"If you hear 'Bouffant Barry' he does a really long honk when he calls all his girls over."

The farm owner was also aware of her livestock's selling point, which she said was higher protein, less fat, and being lower in cholesterol than ordinary beef.

She and Henry now hoped to expand their farming in more directions - including milk, cheese and possibly even chocolate.

"We can't compete with the big farmers beef-wise, but with the buffalo it just gives that little bit of opportunity to branch out there," Henry, an experienced beef and sheep farmer said.

"Everything's a possibility, like milk potentially, same with cheese.

"Some people are getting their buffalo milk turned into boiled sweets - I'm wondering maybe doing some chocolate or something like that as well."

Coral said local businesses near them supported local farmers, something which was "really important" to both them and the consumer.

It was also something she felt was important to Cornwall as a whole.

She added: "We rely on tourism a lot down here so if the community is supporting each other we have got more chance to flourish especially over winter.

"Knowing that our food is going locally for people with big family meals is absolutely amazing.

"We're feeding our local community and that's just lovely."

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.