Lottie the sheep's great escape

Only after a camera was set up did staff realise how they escaped

A sheep has amazed staff at a community farm in Swansea after learning how to unbolt a gate and break out of her pen.

Workers were puzzled how Lottie and her companions were found wandering around in the mornings after being safely locked up at night.

They set up a CCTV camera and saw the rare Llanwennog Welsh breed was lifting a latch with her tongue and opening a bolt on a gate with her nose.

Animal Keeper Chris Jones said Lottie dispelled the myth sheep are stupid.

"She's quite intelligent - she's watched us do it and is copying it," he added.

Lottie, named after the National Lottery which helps fund the farm, is joined by the rest of the flock - Molly, Leititia and Floss - when she escapes.

Mr Jones said: "Lottie comes along to the gate, uses her tongue to lift the latch up and then slides it across and then pushes it open to escape.

"We used to come in in the morning and find mess all over the place and we thought we must have left it [the pen] open the night before.

"It kept happening regularly so we decided there must be something up.

"We've had to put a stone in front of the gate to stop her opening it."