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England and Somerset cricketing legend Sir Ian Botham has become embroiled in a row on national radio and branded a journalist as “pathetic” after an interview about his latest charitable initiative turned sour.

The 61-year-old, who grew up in Yeovil, is donating 10,000 pheasants and partridges killed on his own estates to the Country Food Trust along with £40,000 which will allow them to be turned into meals including pheasant casserole and partridge curry.

For every meal that is sold, Sir Ian says he will donate one to people in need.

But the appearance on BBC Radio 5Live’s Breakfast Show this morning turned into a heated debate between the former all-rounder and presenter Rachel Burden, who posed him a series of questions about the ethics of shooting game birds for sport.

Beefy’s ire was further raised when Ms Burden attempted to ask him about grouse shooting – a petition to ban it was signed by 120,000 people last year but thrown out of Parliament – despite the bird not forming part of his initiative.

(Image: Getty Images)

He told her: “Where does grouse come in? You are wrong. It’s nothing to do with grouse. This is about pheasant and partridge. Pheasant casserole and partridge curry, which we are giving.

“I’m here to promote something that we feel is giving back to people who are in a far worse position than you and me.

“Now if you’ve got a better solution to that, I’m willing to listen to it. Do you have a better solution?”

(Image: BBC)

Sir Ian then accused the 42-year-old of having an agenda after she attempted to ask him a question about the ongoing test match between England and South Africa at The Oval.

He added: “We’re not here to talk about the cricket. You came with an agenda.

“Your job is a journalist. I understand that. My point is we’re trying to make an effort to make a difference and negativity such as your questioning, which has got nothing to do with grouse shooting, which was thrown out of Parliament, which you failed to mention.

“My point is that the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in September 2016 said that as many as 14 million people are living in poverty in the UK, which I think is disgraceful in itself, but the point is that we’re offering nutritious pheasant casseroles and partridge curries.

“I think that we’re making an effort. Would you agree?”

Sir Ian continued the row on Twitter after the interview, quoting a tweet from Ms Burden before branding her “pathetic”.

He tweeted: “Still waiting to hear what your [sic] going to do regarding 14million people who don’t get a meal per day !!! #Pathetic.”

Click here to listen to the full exchange between Sir Ian Botham and Rachel Burden on BBC Radio 5Live (interview from around 2h 40m).

What do you think about Sir Ian Botham’s initiative to provide pheasants and partridges to the homeless? Was Rachel Burden right to pose questions regarding the ethics of such a scheme? Let us know in the comments section below or on our Facebook pages.