Tory MPs and farmers in clash with Natural England over Dartmoor sheep

Move to stop overgrazing harming bird habitats would destroy ancient tradition' and harm business, say MPs

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Farmers and Tory MPs are joining ranks to clash with conservation authorities about the best way to look after Dartmoor national park.

Parts of the national park are worryingly overgrazed, particularly by sheep, say nature experts, which is destroying habitats and putting rare birds at risk of local extinction. Breeding populations of moorland birds such as golden plover, red grouse and ring ouzels have gone or are on the verge of being lost.