A HATHERLEIGH sheep farmer could have broken local records for the number of live lambs born to a single ewe after his Texel cross ewe gave birth to seven healthy lambs.

Ian Balsdon, who runs Reed Farm with wife Amanda and daughter Mel, was amazed when their ewe successfully produced septuplets.

Mr Balsdon said that in the 35 years he has been farming, he has never had more than five lambs from a single ewe so it was a very unusual sight to see.

The ewe actually gave birth to eight lambs on March 17, but one was born dead. She started giving birth at 7pm, with the seventh lamb born four hours later at 11pm.

Mel Balsdon said: 'She was scanned in January with four, possibly five lambs expected so it was a massive shock when she finally had seven. The ewe has always had good crops of lambs — a crop of five last year and three the year before. We have heard of six before but never seven.'

The ewe will rear five of the lambs, with two being adopted to be hand-fed.