Fleece on Earth for festive baby Ellexia

Ellexia Cooper, one of The Gazette’s 2016 Christmas Day babies, celebrated her first birthday with a new woolly addition to the family.

Lucy the lamb was born on Christmas Day at Rivers Hill Farm, Thornton, which belongs to Ellexia’s grandmother, Marion.

The lamb was given to Ellexia as a special birthday - and Christmas - present.

Ellexia’s mum Victoria, 34, said: “Because she was a Christmas Day baby, and with my mother-in-law doing lambs each year, we thought it would be good to have her own pet lamb if one was born on Christmas Day.“My older daughter had her pet lamb, and my stepson had his pet lamb. It’s become a tradition that the kids have a sheep at the farm that they can get used to the farm.

“She wasn’t sure at first and she did cry but she definitely warmed to it and was sat stroking it and smiling at it and giving cuddles and kisses.”

Lucy the lamb will join the family’s other pet sheep, Blue, Bubbles, and Queen, when she is old enough.

Victoria, who lives with Ellexia and her family, including Abigail, 14, Shae, 7, and dad Lee, 33, near Blackpool North Shore Golf Club in Bispham, said: “(The lamb) was quite calm. It was quite enjoying a fuss.

“They are used to the attention from when they are born. If they need to be bottle-fed they are well-handled. They’re used to being touched and held.

“The regular sheep do go on to become roast dinners I’m afraid, but the pet sheep we keep, and they get much more affection and attention, and they folly around the farm.

“My mother-in-law loves animals so she is quite happy for us to keep the one or two. We’re lucky that our kids have that opportunity.”