DRINKERS up and down the country will have supped pints in public houses bearing the name of a Shorthorn bull bred in the North-East.

But few know the story of the legend that was the Durham Ox, an animal so famous that it spawned its own range of blue and white china and could bring in £100 a day from people who paid to marvel at its size.

This Sunday is the 200th anniversary of the death of the great beast and, to mark the occasion, a book has been written by Norman Comben, a veterinary surgeon and renowned veterinary historian.

He has spent 40 years researching the ox and collecting rare china, paintings and engravings bearing its image.

The book, which will have a limited print run of between 300 and 500 copies, is due to be published next month.

It tells the story of the ox, which was bred by pioneering shorthorn breeder Charles Colling at Ketton Hall, just outside Darlington, in 1796.

The animal was initially christened the Ketton Ox when exhibited in Darlington in 1799, but its fortunes, and its name, changed in 1801, when it was bought by John Day of Harmston, near Lincoln for the then enormous sum of £250.

Day recognised the potential of the animal, which weighed in at almost 4,000 pounds, and immediately set to work to have a carriage built to transport it.

He was not the only one to understand the value of the animal and resisted offers of £500, £1,000 and £2,000 to buy it.

As soon as the carriage was finished, Day set off on a six-year tour of the country, which included a year-long exhibition of the beast in London.

During that time, the ox, now known as the Durham Ox, drew national headlines and was painted by all the famous animal portait artists of the period.

Pubs in towns and villages where the ox was exhibited were named after the animal and a wide range of blue and white Durham Ox china was made.

The china is now extremely rare and large pieces can change hands for up to £5,000.

Mr Comben, of Hertfordshire, said the ox's fame was not just down to its large size.

He said: "At the time, there were a lot of animals vying for the prize of the heaviest beast.

"The Durham Ox was not the heaviest or biggest beast, but it became so famous because it was such a perfect, beautiful shape.

"It had a beautiful straight back and a very nice, almost female sort of head. It was just a very nice-looking animal and that is why people fell in love with it."

The ox's downfall came in February 1807 near Oxford when it slipped as it was getting out of the carriage and injured its hip.

Hopes it would recover proved fruitless and it was slaughtered by butchers two months later on April 15.

Mr Comben said: "The animal was in pain and Day quite rightly came to the conclusion that he had a wonderful run and the time had come to let it go."

Copies of the book can be ordered in advance from Richard Hodgson (Books) at Manor Farm, Kirklevington, Yarm, TS15 9PY or 07950-647377.