The two lost sheep at Jane and George Bell's farm in Erpingham (L to R) Chop and Shoulder. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY

A semi-retired couple from north Norfolk have been left astounded after inheriting two runaway sheep and hope to reunite them with their owner.

To send a link to this page to a friend, simply enter their email address below.

The message will include the name and email address you gave us when you signed up.

Email address

  Send link

To send a link to this page to a friend, you must be logged in.

Affectionately named Chop and Shoulder, Jane and George Bell, of Scarrow Beck Lane in Erpingham, have been unable to return the sheep home since the discovery of them on Saturday.

Mrs Bell, 63, said: “Our son Jeremy and daughter-in-law Kirstie were out for a walk with the dogs when they came across the animals.

“I don’t know who was more surprised - them or the sheep.”

The couple managed to round them up into the Bell’s meadow, which has been their temporary home ever since.

So far no one has come forward to claim the quick-footed pair, despite numerous phone call to their friends in the farming community, a facebook plea and also an enquiry to the police - who say they have received no reports of missing sheep.

People have come forward claiming the animals were spotted almost five miles away in Hanworth on February 6 and three miles away in Mannington on Friday.

“They have obviously been travelling quite a lot,” Mrs Bell added.

“And they look like they want to keep on travelling. We haven’t been able to catch them to read their ear-tags though.”

Mr Bell, also 63, said the closest he had been to them was 50 yards away and emphasised that they were unable to keep them themselves.

“We don’t want them to become their namesake either,” he said.

“If we can’t find the owner then we would like to try and re-home them.”

● Anyone with information is asked to email Mrs Bell at jane.sbf@gmail.com.