Heartbroken farmer slams 'black hearted vegans' after cows killed by lightning

"One bolt of lightning, presumably in the big storm on Christmas Day.

"I can generally hold back the tears, but not this time."

Following the post, a storm erupted as a number of critical responses suggested Mrs Francis was only upset because the premature deaths meant she would lose money.

One user posted: "We are 100 percent upset at the death of these beautiful creatures - however we are under no disillusion that you ever intended any other outcome for them."

Someone else added: "Do you really think the ’farmer’ is upset when these cows go off to be slaughtered? No of course not."

But the farmer returned to social media to blast these comments.

Mrs Francis wrote: "My tolerance for black hearted vegans is at an all time low.

"Continue with your pure ignorance of what lies in a farmer’s heart if you must, but what is most obvious with your comments, is the pure darkness, the blackness in your vegan hearts, that you can take glee in such a post and push your agenda.

"Right now your conduct makes my skin crawl...you are exhibiting every reason militant vegans are viewed with such disdain.

"The darkness you bring here is not welcome."

She admitted others had stood up for her by attacking vegans - saying: "Fellow producers came in and stood up for our industry.

"Perhaps not always in the most polite manner - but at times I think the anger was well deserved and justified."