Sheep delivers sextuplets surprise for shepherdess

North Yorkshire shepherdess Linda Barnard has been left stunned after one of her sheep gave birth to an adorable sextuplet of lambs, thought to be the first time it has happened in the North for nearly 15 years.

Ms Barnard, of Hall Farm in Welham, near Malton, said the arrival of the six lambs was a complete surprise as she had been unable to have her pregnant ewe scanned during the heavy snow.

She said: "It is just an amazing thing to have happened and I still can't get over it.

"It is exceptional to get four, and five is nearly impossible but six is just incredible.

"Normally I would have been able to scan the sheep but this year it just wasn't possible due to the heavy snow we have been having. When she gave birth it was a complete surprise – they just kept coming out."

All of the offspring are healthy and the mother, a two-year-old ewe, is recovering.

Ms Barnard, who judges sheep at national contests, said the last group of sextuplets she saw was in Northumberland in 1996.

The breed of sheep – the Lleyn – is renowned for its easy lambing and strong mothering instinct. Victoria Elwess, of the Lleyn Sheep Society, said: "It is unusual, normally there would be sets of twins or triplets."