Fresh calls have been made to ban the long-distance export of livestock after a ship carrying 247 calves took almost 14 hours to travel from Ramsgate to Calais.

The animals, which had been transported to the east Kent port from Scotland, were due to be taken across the Channel last Thursday.

But RSPCA and government officials stepped in to ensure the exhausted calves were taken to Lydden Court to rest and avoid exceeding the legal maximum travel time, as the ship they were set to board had been delayed.

John Avizienius, from the RSPCA, said: “This is the first time in several years that we’re aware of a lorry being turned away from the port and sent to a local farm to rest.

“It is positive to see that the law was being enforced in this instance, but we believe the law doesn’t go far enough to protect the animals.

“Until the long-distance live transport of animals is banned completely, we can never be sure that animals will not continue to suffer on these long, arduous journeys across the continent.

“Currently, sheep, calves, chickens and horses are all exported from the UK, and once they’re off the ship on the continent we aren’t there to protect them and don’t know how long they’ll be transported.”

The law states that calves must not be transported for more than nine hours without an hour of rest, and no longer than 21 hours before having a whole day’s rest.

The animals boarded the Joline at the Port of Ramsgate just before midnight the following day.

Just after 6.30am on Saturday the vessel stopped moving for more than four hours, despite being a short distance from Calais.

The craft finally docked at about 2.30pm. The RSPCA estimates that the journey from Scotland to Spain may have taken 70 hours in all.

"Having seen photographs of the calves, we have concerns about their hydration and general health and the question needs to be asked as to whether they were really fit to travel" - John Avizienius

“Currently, transport companies arrange and time the distances down to the minute to take these animals on a journey as long as legally possible,” Mr Avizienius said.

“Having seen photographs of the calves, we have concerns about their hydration and general health and the question needs to be asked as to whether they were really fit to travel.

“The RSPCA wants to see an end to this cruel practice.”

The reason for the delay outside Calais is not yet known.

Ian Birchall, of Kent Against Animal Live Exports, said: “This exposes them to all kinds of risks. It would have been impossible to feed and water them correctly.

“Calves are very vulnerable at that age and there’s a danger they could have got trampled on.

“It was very windy, the sea was very choppy and so the Joline would have been shunting around waiting to get into the Port of Calais for ages.”

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs did not respond to a request for a comment.