LIFTON Farm Shop’s Facebook page has been flooded with negative reviews after a competition to name a new-born calf sparked outrage amongst vegans.

To celebrate the first born calf of the season, staff shared a picture of the animal on the Lifton Strawberry Fields Farm Shop Facebook page, inviting followers to suggest a name for a chance to win a joint of beef.

Despite many positive comments and competition entries, Lifton Strawberry Fields Farm Shop Facebook page has since been swamped with more than 100 negative comments and one star reviews — with some comments targeting customers.

One of the victims targeted was Mary Vallance — and her son Alex, aged four — who posted two name suggestions on the photo of the calf.

Mary, 24 said: ‘I couldn’t believe some of the comments. One said: “Would you let your four-year-old son hug a calf and then slit its throat?” It is just sick.’

Mary said Alex’s grandmother runs a farm near Tavistock and that her son enjoys looking after the livestock and understands where beef comes from.

The management of Lifton Farm Shop has since removed the competition and image on the advice of the police, despite initial advice to leave the material up.

Laura Mounce, part of the family owned business-management team said officers suggested staff take the competition down after the abuse had ‘snowballed’.

On Facebook, Lifton Farm Shop wrote: ‘To all our Facebook users – we didn’t know our innocent competition would have such an impact on some people.

‘We accept everyone is entitled to their own opinion and we will take on diverse beliefs in the future and apologise if we have offended vegans. To finish we would like to launch a competition to win a vegetable box of our squeaky fresh vegetables worth up to £20.’