Feeling all woolly
Crofter couldn’t get beloved pet lamb Norman out of her mind after she sold him at market.. so 24 days later she made 540-mile trip to save him from slaughter
CROFTER Melanie MacLean was feeling sheepish when she sold Norman the lamb at market.
So she made a 540-mile round trip from the Outer Hebrides to save her fleecey friend.
Now Norman is back home in Benbecula – having narrowly avoided being, literally, a lamb to the slaughter.
A CROFTER made a 540-mile round trip to save a lamb from slaughter – after she regretted selling him.
Melanie MacLean handreared pet lamb Norman after he was rejected by his mum when he was born in April.
The creature could have died had Melanie not intervened to watch over him for his first 48 hours of life.
But last month, the 50-yearold, from Benbecula, Outer Hebrides, sold the pet at a market in Lochmaddy in North Uist.
Suffolk lamb Norman was picked up by farmers Irene, 66, and Jim Fowlie, 69, who bought 600 sheep at the sale on September 2.
Norman was taken to their farm near Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, but former policewoman Melanie couldn’t stop thinking about the little lamb.
And 24 days later, Melanie decided she wanted him back, setting off on a 16-hour round trip from her remote croft to rescue Norman.
When she arrived at his farm, Jim took Melanie to the 75-acre field where Norman was among 700 other sheep.
She spotted the lamb right away and was stunned when Norman ran “like a bullet” towards her, having instantly recognised her.
Now back home with Norman, delighted Melanie said: “Norman was the smallest of a set of triplets.
“Sheep normally shouldn’t have more than two because they struggle to feed them.
“He was very weak when he was born and couldn’t stand or lift his head.
“Under a heat lamp he gradually got better and as he got stronger I knew he’d be fine. “He was intentionally sold but I had such a dilemma.
“As I got to the market, he went out with the others but he just stood beside me.
“There were other crofters there who swayed me and I had to make a decision.
“It’s quite a male environment and I just went with it.
“People were saying, ‘Don’t be silly, you’ll get over it’, but
I instantly regretted it. “This wee guy was totally different, he was like a dog to me.”
Melanie’s husband Allan, 57, told her to give herself a few weeks to get over the emotional parting but she couldn’t forget about Norman. Even while she celebrated her 50th birthday, she was still feeling bad about selling her special lamb. Melanie said: “I was a little embarrassed about phoning Irene but I just had to bite the bullet. “I explained the situation but she was like, ‘Don’t be silly’, and was instantly welcoming.” Melanie arrived at the sheep farm on September 26. She added: “It was just complete relief and euphoria. I just burst into tears. I said, ‘Come on Norman, let’s go home’.”
Farmer Irene let Melanie take Norman back free of charge and said: “It’s truly amazing. She fell in love with him and couldn’t get over it.
“We’ll remember it for a long time – she was so grateful.”
Norman is now safe at home and is settling back into life on the croft, where he will live out the rest of his days.
Melanie said: “He will stay with his father and keep him company from now on.”