THE long-running dispute over a couple’s fight to keep their alpaca farm in North Nibley has come to an end with the pair announcing they are to relocate the business to Wales.

Emma and Rodney Bird, of Bird Farm in Stancombe, were informed in August 2012 that they had to move after their appeal to continue living on the site in their mobile caravan was refused by Stroud District Council.

The couple are now hoping to move their 21-strong herd to a new 17.5 acre plot in Carmarthenshire by the Easter weekend.

Mrs Bird, originally from Wotton-under-Edge and with family in Chipping Sodbury, said it was with a degree of sadness that they were moving but was positive for the future.

"It is a shame we are having to move about 100 miles to carry on with what we are doing because we were not getting the support locally," she said.

"But we are going to be replicating what we did here, including the market stalls and the workshops we hold. We have had a lot of people calling about the place saying how much they liked it, I know we are going to be missed.

"We did really well at the Christmas markets, as fast as we could make the products, we would sell them straight away, I am looking forward to the move."

"It has been difficult the last couple of years because of the lack of support, but now we know where we are going it is a relief."

The Bird’s land at Stancombe, North Nibley is being sold at auction on Wednesday, March 6, at 7pm at Cotswold Edge Golf Club in Wotton-under-Edge.