Police hunt thieves who took Lammy the family sheep from Preston property

Police have been alerted to the incident at a property in Ingol.

The family living there discovered that Lammy, the two year old friendly sheep they had hand-reared from birth, was missing.

Robbie Parkinson, 36, of Beech Croft, off Cottam Lane, said Lammy enjoyed his life at the family home with three other pygmy goat pals.

“The sheep had been there nearly two years with goats,” said Robbie, who runs his Oakley loves dog grooming business form the same property.

Robbie said a big hole had been cut in the wire fence at the property which is next to the Lancaster Canal.

“We’ve got two perimeter fences - a six foot security fence with a five fence inside. The six fence belongs to the Canal Trust.

“The goats are friendly but not as a friendly as the sheep. It was easy pickings for someone.

“We’re just waiting for the police to check the CCTV on the lane.”

Robbie thinks the theft took place some time between Saturday and Sunday.

“A lady walking her dog came and said there’s a hole in your fence," he explained.

“We went to check and it was quite a big hole. We don’t know if they cut it with the intention of taking all of them.

“We can’t remember when we last saw him. We just took it for granted he’s in there with the goats.”

He continued: “We’ve had him since he was twenty four hours old. We bottle fed him. He loved the goats, he was their best friend. They don’t seem to be stressed or anything like that."

Robbie said said he believed the theft took place at night or during the early hours, otherwise people using the canal would probably have seen something.

Sadly he fears he may have seen the last of Lammy.

“I’m not very hopeful," he said. "I personally think someone has taken him to eat or do something horrible with.

“We’re checking the canal every day, if they’ve chucked him in there.

"He’d not been clipped and if he was chucked in the canal he would sink.

“We’re keeping our eye out. There’s no signs of any wool or sheep droppings.”

Lancashire Police said they received a report of a theft of a sheep yesterday evening.

A spokesperson said; "Inquiries are ongoing."