Can you brie-lieve it? 'Tina the Turner' cheese robot helps keep the wheels of cheddar production in motion

The huge wheels of cheese need to be turned regularly during production
This crucial process has been carried out by hand for over a hundred years
Cheesemakers say their cheddar-bot, the first in the world, has automated the process, freeing up artisan staff and giving the cheddar a better flavour

By Ryan O'Hare for MailOnline and Bournemouth News And Picture Service

Published: 08:53 EDT, 2 November 2016 | Updated: 09:43 EDT, 2 November 2016

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If the machines really are out to get us, they may have already found one of our biggest weaknesses – our love of cheese.

A British dairy farm has become the first in the world to employ a robot to turn its award-winning cheddar cheese.

The pioneering custom-made machine cruises the aisles of the huge cheese store of Westcombe Dairy in Somerset to meticulously upend 5,000 wheels of cheddar stacked 12 shelves high.

British dairy farmers have become the first in the world to employ a robot to turn their award-winning cheddar cheese. Called Tina the Turner, the robot (pictured) has automated the laborious process of turning the huge wheels of cheese as they mature

TINA THE TURNER

British cheesemakers have brought in a robot to help in the production process.

Nicknamed Tina the Turner, the robot is a modified Swiss machine, used to turn Comte.

It can turn 100 25kg (55 lb) wheels every hour and now each one is upended once a week.

The dairy farmers say that not only does it save staff time and their backs, it also helps give the cheese a much tastier flavour by helping to control the mould on the cheese.

The cutting-edge equipment picks up each lump before brushing off excess mould and turning them over - a back-breaking operation considered a crucial part of the maturing process.

Up until now the arduous job has been carried out by staff at the farm who take it in turns to spend a few hours a week turning the cheese, with each wheel being moved once every few months on average.

But the new machine, nicknamed Tina the Turner, can turn 100 25kg (55 lb) wheels every hour and now each one is upended once a week.

Not only does the robot save staff time and their backs, it also helps give the cheese a much tastier flavour.

The robot was bought by father and son team Tom and Richard Calver, who had become weary of the 'back-breaking' manual labour required to turn the cheese themselves.

The machine was custom-built by a cheese turning machine manufacturer in Switzerland which spent three years modifying one of their Comté turning appliances.

Nicknamed Tina the Turner, the robot is a modified Swiss machine, used to turn Comte. Patrolling the shelves of cheddar (pictured left and right), it can turn 100 of the 25kg (55 lb) wheels every hour and now each one is upended once a week

Say 'cheese': Cheesemakers Richard and Tom Calver (pictured) of Somerset have employed the cheese cheddar handling robot to automate the vital turning process, which helps the cheese to mature

It can turn 100 of the 25 kg (55 lb) wheels every hour, with each one upended once a week

It is the first time in the world that one has been converted to turn cheddar cheese.

Tom said: 'Turning cheese is an incredibly mundane job and you don't come across too many people who aspire to be a cheese turner.

'When you turn a cheese over you need to brush it and hoover it - there is nothing artisan about doing that job, it is back-breaking work.

'The introduction of 'Tina the Turner' has improved our operation massively, not just in terms of efficiency but also flavour because the mould on the cheese can be properly controlled.

'Our wheels would get turned once every couple of months before, now it's every week.

The cutting-edge equipment picks up each lump before brushing off excess mould and turning them over - a back-breaking operation considered a crucial part of the maturing process

Until now the job had been carried out by staff at the farm who take it in turns to spend a few hours a week turning the cheese, moving each wheel once every few months on average

'The company has been here for 100-odd years and we want to be here for another 100 - this is a way of ensuring that.'

He added: 'There were already machines for turning European cheeses like or Parmesan but none for cheddar.

'We worked with a cheese turning robot company from Switzerland, which modified one of their Comté machines for our needs.

'The whole process took about three years.

'While I won't say exactly how much the robot cost it was a lot of money, the price is comparable to that of a tractor.'

Tina the Turner operates in Westcombe Dairy's brand new store built into a hillside near Shepton Mallet.

Cheese matures better when it is stored underground, due to the temperature..

The family-run business, which produces 120 tons of cheddar each year, sells to cheese mongers, wholesalers and supermarkets including Waitrose.