James duly signed up for his business degree course, but while his parents remained under the impression that their son was on the right track to a successful career in finance, James never completely abandoned his dream.

Which is why it came something of a surprise when James rang his father to tell him about the pigs. “It wasn’t 'Dad, I want to be a farmer’,” says James wryly. “It was more like: 'Dad, I’ve kind of bought these pigs, and I’m out of money, and can I borrow some from you?’” How did he take the news? “It went down like a tonne of lead bricks!”