THIS mischievous little lamb, born on a Durham farm, has marked the official start of spring.

Following months of unpredictable and grim weather, the arrival of the cheery lamb – nicknamed Smiley Chops – last week signalled the turning of the seasons as it coincided with the beginning of meteorological spring.

The baby was born at Woodwell House Farm in Durham, but the cold temperatures means the lamb will have to stay indoors for the time being.

Farmer John Herbert said it has been a difficult start to the year as all the new lambs have had to be kept inside for longer than usual.

He said: “When the weather is as cold as it has been, it gives us a lot of extra work.

“Usually, when the lambs are born we only keep them in a couple of days before letting them outside, but we’ve been having them inside for up to a couple of weeks.”

Despite his 40 years in the farming industry, seeing the young animals released into the outdoors for the first time is still a special moment for Mr Herbert.

“It’s especially nice if the sun is shining and they skip and jump and dance about a bit. Once they’re out it’s not very often that we have to bring them back in again,” said Mr Herbert.

Smiley Chops instantly made an impression on workers at Woodwell House Farm and earned himself his very apt name for his smirking expression.

Mr Herbert added: “Some of the lambs are real characters, no two are the same and they’re as individual as people. Certain ones are mischievous as soon as they’re born.”

More than 300 lambs have been born at Woodwell House Farm with the first arrival coming in January. Mr Herbert hopes that as the weather warms up, they will be releasing the newborns outside much sooner in coming months.