Ramsay's mystery cow riddle

Just what was Gordon Ramsay doing taking a cow for a walk through central London? Could it be that he likes his meat - or at least his milk - even fresher than anyone realised?

Or perhaps he was helping clear up after the local farmers' market.

It scarcely seems probable that a man known for his love of meat would rescue such a tasty specimen from the slaughterhouse.

It may even have been an - admittedly unusual - peace offering for the victims of his fiery temper in Hell's Kitchen. The mystery is perplexing the residents of Portobello Green in Notting Hill, which despite its name has little in the way of pasture to keep the animal fed.

Whatever the answer, Ramsay spent a lunchtime earlier this week wandering around Portobello Green. Apparently keen to get rid of the beast, he approached several young women and, after engaging them in brief conversation, persuaded them to hold on to the cow.

He then disappeared, only to return 10 minutes later to rescue them. His behaviour was only rumbled when curious passers-by spotted the cow standing in the middle of the street - an incongruous sight in one of London's most densely packed neighbourhoods.

Evening Standard reader Robert Wallace, who took this photograph, said: "Ramsay was encouraging a number of pretty young ladies to meet the cow, talk to her and hold her.

"Then he'd tell them he'd be back shortly and would go off. They looked rather wary of what was going on.

"There was no obvious TV camera present and it wasn't clear whether it was some sort of stunt or whether he was filming a show. It was all very strange." Ramsay's PR company-was unwilling to shed any light on the mystery.

"It was a promotional stunt but we are not at liberty to say what it was about," said a spokeswoman. She added: "I can't say whether he was promoting a product, a venue or an event. Sorry not to be more helpful."

Earlier this week there was speculation that Ramsay would not be signing up for another series of the successful Hell's Kitchen show, which took a group of celebrities and turned them into chefs under his stern eye. The reports cited work commitments.

As well as running seven restaurants in London, including Claridge's and Royal Hospital Road, and one in Dubai, Ramsay now has his eyes set on a venture in New York.