A FAMILY company of cheesemakers battling with the Greeks over the name feta is anxiously awaiting the decision of the European courts.

The European Union ordered Shepherd's Purse Cheese, of Newsham, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, to change the name of its Yorkshire Feta cheese in 2002.

The ban - due to come into force in 2007 - was imposed after Greek cheesemakers persuaded the EU Commission to register feta as exclusively Greek by arguing that grasses on the country's mountains gave the cheese its special flavour.

But a court case brought yesterday by the German and Danish governments on behalf of their own cheese producers could see the directive reversed.

Judy Bell, founder of Shepherd's Purse Cheese, said: "I'm pessimistic about the outcome and frustrated that this has been going on and on.

"It's all the more frustrating because whatever happens, you can be sure the rest of Europe will ignore it, while we will abide by the decision.

"We've never tried to pull the wool over anyone's eyes - it's very clear from the label that it's Yorkshire Feta.''

"Unlike other manufacturers who use cow's milk, our cheese is true feta made with 100 per cent ewe's milk."

Yorkshire Feta represents 15 per cent of the company's business and is sold nationwide.

Mrs Bell, who started the company from her kitchen table 18 years ago, said rebranding Yorkshire Feta would cost tens of thousands of pounds.

She also criticised the Government, which refused to send a lawyer to Luxembourg.

A Government spokesman said the UK opposed the registration of the name feta in 1996 and 2002. He said: "Denmark and Germany are saying exactly what we would."

A decision is not expected for several weeks.