A WEALTHY businessman’s dream of a green lifestyle turned to tragedy when he was killed, and two of his children injured, by one of his own water buffalo.

Ralph Jump, 57, was crushed to death, his 19-year-old son Peter is fighting for his life and his 22-year-old daughter injured when the giant animal rampaged at their village farm.

One of their massive buffalo escaped its pen - and attacked as the family were trying to return it to safety.

Mr Jump, a managing director of a heating company, rented the idyllic country farm to start a sustainable buffalo soap business with his family.

The dad-of-three - known as Jon - hand-reared the buffalo at their three-acre farm along with his youngest two children.

Daughter Isabel, 22, organised the sales of the hand-wrapped bars of scented soap - and the Bufalina Soap Company started selling them ahead of last Christmas.

Son Peter, 19, works full-time at the family farm while older brother Sam is an aspiring musician and songwriter.

But their green business dreams were shattered when one of the buffalo attacked.

One neighbour said: "One of the buffalo managed to escape its pen and it attacked when they were trying to get it back in. It's an absolute tragedy."

Mr Jump was killed by the time police arrived and his son needed to be airlifted to hospital where he is said to be "critical".

Daughter Isabel suffered leg injuries but is expected to recover.

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A neighbouring farmer said: "Jon approached us last year about buying some hay for his buffalo.

"We asked him what he was doing and he said he was trying to diversify the farm.

"I think he had about a dozen buffalo at the farm and had bred a couple of calves over the past year or so."

Police say the animal attacked at a farm property in Gwehelog, near Usk, in Monmouthshire, South Wales.

The buffalo has now been put down.

Mr Jump was MD of the Wunda Group, based at nearby Caldicot, Gwent. The company supplies heating equipment and employs 56 people - but is on lockdown.

A friend said: "Jon spent all his life in a shirt and tie but loved pulling on his wellies to get stuck in at the farm. He was as happy as anything there."

The Jump family rented the farmland from the Pontypool Park Estate. A spokesman said: "It is a terrible tragedy and we feel for them.

"The Jumps are very nice people and we feel desperately sorry for them."

The family moved to the farm called Upper Berthllwyd about six years ago before introducing the buffalo over the last few years.

The farm is the base of The Bufalina Soap Company - selling a range of scented buffalo soap.

A spokeswoman for Gwent Police said: "We received a report of an incident at a commercial property in Gwehelog, Monmouthshire, at around 2.50pm on Tuesday, May 5, after two men and a woman were attacked by a water buffalo.

"A 57-year-old man from the Gwehelog area was pronounced dead at the scene.

"A 19-year-old man from the Gwehelog area sustained critical injuries and was taken to the University Hospital for Wales for treatment by the Welsh Air Ambulance.

"A 22-year-old woman from the Gwehelog area sustained a serious injury to her leg. Her injuries are not thought to be critical.

"The water buffalo has been destroyed.

"Officers received assistance from the National Police Air Service (NPAS) at the scene."