Well, if anyone requires bovine assistance, as a country boy at heart I'm always willing to render what assistance I can. In fact, my workshop, such as it is, is part of the old dairy, though the milking machinery is long gone.
Thanks all for your thoughts on lathes, I know it's a piece-of-string topic but for those of us on a budget it's a tricky decision and not one you want to get wrong, so thanks for all the very practical thoughts.