Several farming tenants and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) are concerned by what they see as the over-zealous way in which the National Trust is taking productive agricultural land back in-hand for rewilding.

The National Trust could be forced to appoint its own watchdog to ensure it is accountable to its members, volunteers and tenants.

Restore Trust, a campaign group made up of the charity’s members, also wants to abolish discretionary votes by the chairman at the annual meeting, which means that the views of individual members can be overruled.