Since Sarah Stewart went public about a fraudster making off with £300,000 of the world’s best cheddar from Neal’s Yard Dairy, her artisan cheese company in London, she has been “overwhelmed” by the response of the world’s cheese lovers. Messages of support, offers of financial help and cheese orders from as far afield as America and Germany have flooded in to the wholesaler and retailer of luxury cheeses after news of the sophisticated four-month scam spread. “Clearly British people love their cheese but we have had a lot of really incredible people getting in touch, it seems like it’s gone international,” Stewart said.

Jamie Oliver has even helped spread the word about the more than 22 tonnes (950 cheeses) of three artisan Cheddars — Hafod.