AT first glance this sheep looks like an April Fool's joke or the latest advert for Tango, but it's part of a local farmer's colourful solution to prevent sheep rustling.

John Heard has lost 200 sheep from Hughslade Farm in Meldon through theft.

With each ewe worth about £140 John decided to act, and has dyed his blackface ewes orange in the hope of warding off rustlers.

The effect is achieved by dipping the sheep in a harmless orange dye.

John's wife Sandra said: 'It was our son James who came up with the idea. He had been up to Scotland and seen dyed sheep on farms up there.

'Up there it's done with an undercoat of orange and an overcoat of brown, particularly when selling rams, and James thought up the idea to just use the bright undercoat.

'It's been very effective since we started doing it last year.'

The dye eventually wears off with no side-effects. Since John dyed his sheep, thieves have indeed stayed away, scared off by the high visibility of the animals.

Jane said that she clourful sheep had attracted a lot of attention recently: 'Nobody really saw them last year, as they were up on the moor, but this year they've been in a field next to the main road.

'We've had several funny comments from passers-by!'

The National Farmers' Union has warned that the financial hardship facing the country has led to a big increase in rural crimes, including sheep rustling.

Sheep rustling figures have risen sharply across the country in the last two years, with figures having gone up fivefold in the last year.

John's novel idea may just stop such crimes happening on his farm any time soon.