The no-holds baa-ed race, believed to be the only one in the country, was introduced by the rangers as a way of making bottle feeding more fun for the young bundles of wool as they move outside from the safety of the barn.

Minty, Larry, Monty, Davy, Milky and Jemima have proved they make great jumpers as they race round the specially made course, leaping over bales of hay.

With a guaranteed feed at the end, the woolly-coated competitors certainly have got a taste for the action.

Marketing and retail supervisor at the farm in Thornhaugh, near Peterborough, Caroline Alsop explained that one of the rangers had suggesting doing something fun to feed the lambs while also giving them some exercise.

Miss Alsop said: "We have been running the race now for the last three weeks and we had no idea it would prove so popular. The lambs really enjoy it, and now they have cottoned on that they get fed and how the race works. They can't wait to get started."

Although betting is strictly prohibited, Monty has proved to be the sheep equivalent of Red Rum, winning most of the races, although Larry recently sneaked up on the rails to win the race on Sunday by a hoof.

More than 400 people flocked to Sacrewell Farm this weekend, despite the slightly overcast weather to see the animals in action.

The orphan lambs were given their names by visiting school children who helped bottle feed the woolly youngsters when they were smaller and can be identified during the race by their different coloured ribbons.

With half-term approaching, the next two weeks will be the last chance to see the woolly jumpers in action as they will then be too old to bottle-feed, and will be back playing in the fields with the other sheep.

Miss Alsop added: "We never thought it would prove this popular, but the crowds have really got into it, cheering their lamb on. When it was first mooted, we looked into all the safety aspects of it, and decided it could be done, as it is only once or twice a day".

For more information on what's happening down on the farm, visit www.sacrewell.org.uk or call 01780 782254.

Factfile: unusual animal races

• At the annual World Championship Rattlesnake Races, in San Patricio, Texas, competitors have to take into account the rule which states "Any contestant mishandling a snake, or getting snake-bitten, is automatically disqualified".


• Professional camel racing, like horse racing, has become big business. The camels can run at speeds of up to 40mph in short sprints and maintain a speed of 25mph for an hour. More at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel_racing


• Pig racing is popular at country fairs in the southern USA, where juvenile pigs race around a small enclosed dirt or gravel track purely for entertainment. Watch video of pig racing in Alaska

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