A sheep has defied one-in-a-million odds by giving birth to five healthy lambs.
Staff at Kentwell Hall, in Long Melford, near Sudbury, were overjoyed when their Norfolk horn ewe birthed the quintuplets yesterday afternoon.
Patrick Philips, owner of Kentwell, said the birth and survival of five lambs are almost unheard of.
He said: "The survival prospects of quintuplets are not great naturally.
"No ewe could manage that number on her own so their only chance of survival is for some, maybe as many as three of them, to be put onto other ewes or be bottle fed.
"Because the lambs are so small they are very vulnerable and not as robust as ordinary lambs.
"Though each of these five appears to be healthy.”
Norfolk Horn ewes typically give birth to one or two lambs and the odds of birthing five lambs is referred to as a million to one.
Kentwell Hall added: "We are overjoyed that the lambs are all healthy and strong.
"Being there for their birth and seeing them grow will be an absolute privilege."
