One in eight young people in the UK have never seen a cow in real life, according to a survey.

While they may have spotted a cow on television, 12pc of 18 to 24-year-olds in the UK are so unfamiliar with the countryside they have never seen cattle in person. A fifth said they have never even left the city they live in (18pc).

The research also found a substantial lack of knowledge among young adults when it comes to basic fruit and vegetables.

More than half of those polled did not know strawberries are a summer fruit (54pc) and nine in ten do not know turnips are best grown in the winter.

Over half say it is more than a year since they climbed a tree (51pc), while for 29 per cent it is that long since they swam in a river.

Four in ten confess their knowledge of the countryside is 'poor' or 'extremely poor' (42pc).

Just two in ten believe their knowledge of the countryside is 'good' or 'excellent'.

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Former JLS singer JB Gill, who recently took up farming after spending his life living in London, is encouraging youngsters to improve their knowledge of the country.

The 30-year-old said: "It would be fantastic if younger people could take a day out to the countryside to visit a farm.

"By doing so, they can experience the work that goes into supplying essential food items such as milk, eggs and vegetables - which can easily be taken for granted.

"Becoming a farmer and learning more about the countryside has been a wonderful experience for me and my family."

Chairman of The Prince's Countryside Fund, Lord Curry of Kirkharle added: "As a nation we have always prided ourselves on our beautiful and diverse countryside.

"But this research shows many of the younger population are losing touch with what the countryside has to offer and are unaware of how their food is produced."

2,000 people were polled by The Prince's Countryside Fund ahead of National Countryside Week.

Telegraph.co.uk