A CHEESEMAKER has labelled EU chiefs as idiots after she lost a six-year legal battle to call her product feta.

Judy Bell, who runs Shepherds Purse Cheeses, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, said she was appalled by the European Court of Justice ruling.

The court in Luxembourg decided only cheese made in Greece can be called feta.

The granting of protected designation of origin (PDO) to Greek feta means Shepherds Purse will have to spend thousands of pounds to rebrand its popular Yorkshire feta cheese.

Mrs Bell said: "Although we expected it, I'm still extremely disappointed with the court's decision.

"It's a big blow to us - I wonder how long these idiots can carry on making these kind of rulings.

"It's ludicrous that they can make decisions that hurt our economy."

The latest case was brought by the Danish and German governments, which tried to challenge the European Commission's 2002 decision to prevent other countries using the feta name.

The court battle over feta hinged on whether the term was so familiar it should be deemed a generic name available to all cheese producers making feta-style cheese.

However, judges decided feta was too closely associated with its Greek roots.

Feta is believed to have been made in Greece for 6,000 years.

Today, the country produces about 115,000 tonnes, mainly for domestic consumption.

Shepherds Purse has been making about a tonne of Yorkshire feta cheese a week since 1987. The cheese represents about 15 per cent of the firm's output.

Mrs Bell said she would continue to make the cheese but would sell it under a new name.

"It's got a very loyal following and I think we would have a lot of angry customers if we stopped making it," she said.

PDOs also protect Parma ham and French Champagne.

In Britain, at least 25 products including Shetland lamb, Whitstable oysters and Newcastle Brown Ale, are protected

On the other hand, Yorkshire pudding is deemed to be a generic term and does not have to be made in Yorkshire.

l Should Shepherds Purse be allowed to continue making Yorkshire feta? Log on to http://forums.thisisthenorth east.co.uk to discuss this story and others.