Piglet chosen to be a radio ham

Jamie Owen and Louise Elliott are learning about food production

BBC Wales presenters Jamie Owen and Louise Elliott have adopted a piglet for a food project on the radio.

The piglet, named Hamlet, will be reared "free range" by a pedigree pig breeder for six months before being slaughtered.

The Jamie and Louise programme aims to shed light on food production.

The project has had a large response from listeners, who suggested names like Harry Trotter and Del Boy Trotter for the pig and have written poems.

Owen said: "The whole project is to investigate our food from farm to fork. So many people see meat on the supermarket shelves and don't really follow the story as to where it comes from.

"The project is about learning more about our meat, how it's raised and what happens to it. We thought it would be interesting to see how it gets there."

My eyes filled up when I first met Hamlet. I went a bit gooey. Louise Elliott

The presenters must face up to the fact that Hamlet will be slaughtered - and both will accompany him to the abattoir.

This will be particularly difficult for Elliott, who is already using a picture of Hamlet as her computer screensaver in the office.

"My eyes filled up when I first met Hamlet. I went a bit gooey. I've held him in my arms now," she said.

"He's my screensaver. First of all it was my children, who got ditched for Michael Sheen, and now it's Hamlet.

"But I think I would feel I was doing Hamlet a disservice if I didn't go. I think it's important that we go - I've got to do it," she said.

Her on-air partner is also far from ecstatic at the thought of seeing Hamlet at the abattoir.

"I thought I wouldn't have a problem with it but I'm now troubled at the prospect of Hamlet getting the chop," said Owen.

Hamlet's mother Barbara is a champion pig

"The greatest compliment to an animal is to make sure it's properly cared for in its life and death, and to make sure all of it is used - there's no waste."

Hamlet has won over the programme's listeners too.

"It's just brilliant. We've had a really positive response with just lots and lots of suggestions for names," said senior producer Paul Forde.

"Things like Harry Trotter, Del Boy Trotter, CB Radio because he would have been a radio ham!

"In the Beano, Dennis the Menace has a dog called Gnasher and a pig caller Rasher whose cousin, I think, was called Hamlet.

"An RSPCA vet told us that live on air."

Hamlet belonged to pedigree pig breeder Liz Shankland, of Bedwas near Caerphilly, whose job it will be to rear the piglet.

She said Hamlet was one of a litter of eight whose mother Barbara is a champion Tamworth - a breed noted for its flavour.

"I had just had one litter and was waiting for another one. I got a call from Paul Forde on the Friday and my second litter was born on the Sunday," she said.

"They've chosen a nice big one with a nice back end on it. It's important to have a big back end because that's where the ham comes from."

She said Hamlet would be reared "free range", living outside with other piglets once the weather improved.

"I've got two litters of piglets that I'm raising anyway so it won't be raised on its own. I will look after it and make sure he's fed properly," she said.

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