THE woman on the other end of the telephone line was in fits of laughter.

"You're not going to believe this," she said.....She was right.

It was a mysterious tale of bumps in the night and a strange visitor to her semi-detached house in Ringland, Newport.

But instead of a ghost on her doorstep, Sharon Berry's daughter Michelle found a sheep.

Naturally, I had to investigate. Sure enough, when I turned up at their home in Halle Close, I ventured out into their back garden and saw two cats, the family's gerbils, the dog and two rabbits - and huddled in a corner, the sheep which turned up at their house at 9pm on Tuesday.

That night, Mrs Berry had been watching television with daughters Michelle, 27 and Kimberley, 16 when they heard a loud bang outside.

Michelle said: “I opened the door and the sheep was lying on the path looking stunned.

“I closed the door and opened it again to make sure I was imagining it. It seemed so unreal.”

There was a foot mark on the door which suggested to the family someone had thrown the animal into their garden and kicked the door to alert them.

Animal-loving Mrs Berry has since christened the visitor Sheepsie. It has since made herself at home, eating grass and drinking from pots.

While she is keen to see him returned to her farmer owner, Mrs Berry said he is doing a great job trimming her lawn and bushes.

Mid-day supervisor at Ysgol Gymraeg Casnewydd Mrs Berry said: “She was petrified at first, but she has been eating my bushes, plants and grass.”

She joked: “If a farmer doesn’t claim her, maybe I’ll keep her. I’ve always wanted a goat, but she’ll keep the grass trim as well.”

The family said they contacted the local council, police and RSPCA who said because she isn’t injured they can’t take him.

Their semi-detached house is next to the Southern Distributor Road. The nearest farmland is a few miles away in Llanwern, which has left them confused how someone could have got Sheepsie to Ringland.

The family already have a dog called Gerrard, cats Mika and Marley, a rabbit called Fudge, Cockateel Max, Tortoise Houdini and gerbils Alonso and Torres.

Michelle Berry, who lives at Playford Crescent, RIngland, said: “All the neighbours have been to see her, he’s a bit of a celebrity round here. Maybe she can do my lawn when she’s finished here.”

Sheepsie has orange markings and a ear tag that reads UK723384. If she belongs to you, call Mrs Berry on 01633769391.