Sheep with one eye and a crooked mouth ‘stolen’ in farm heist
Police have flocked to the scene of a Northumberland farm to help trace ‘Britain’s ugliest sheep’.
Scuzzy, a nine-month-old Texel lamb, was last seen on January 6.
She was last spotted playing in a field near her home near St Oswald’s Way on the edge of Rothbury.
Scuzzy was born with deformed features which means she only has one eye and her mouth is twisted into a fixed moody grimace.
Fans on social media quickly christened her ‘Britain’s ugliest sheep’ after snaps of her unique expressions were posted online.
Her owner Michelle Pouton then jokingly named her Scuzzy and decided to keep her as a pet on her farm.
The family have been left ‘devastated’ at her disappearance.
Michelle, 60, fears Scuzzy may have been stolen on account of her special features.
She said: ‘She was one of four lambs who was born but was the only one with a disfigured face.
‘I instantly grew to love her and took her in as a pet. She’s never wanted to be with the other sheep and she just follows me around the farm.
‘She’s very small because she can’t eat lots of pellets because her mouth is twisted but she’s such a happy little thing.
‘She is so small we haven’t been able to tag her ear yet but she never ventured further than 200 yards away from the farm house.
‘I’m devastated she’s gone. I can only think that perhaps someone saw her and felt sorry for her so took her in not knowing she was a loved pet.
‘It’s either that or someone has stolen her because of the way she looks and thought she’d make a funny looking pet.
‘She might be known as Britain’s ugliest sheep but we really want her back.’
Michelle has launched a major appeal on Facebook with pictures of her beloved pet.
She added: ‘If Scuzzy had been run over or fell into a ditch, someone would have seen her and let me know.
‘I’ve had the bin men and the lads who collect dead animals from farms, check hedgerows and fields but there have been no sightings.
‘In desperation I contacted the police and the sergeant told me in 22 years he’d never investigated a case like this one.
‘We don’t care who has got Scuzzy or why she was taken, we just want her home.’
Michele is even liaising with an animal charity who have said they will put up a reward for information leading to her safe return.
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