Sheep in bed a bit of a yarn

27 August 2005

A Wanaka man may have had the wool pulled over his eyes after he called 111 to report he had woken up to find a sheep in his bed, police say.

Senior Constable Ian Henderson said the 19-year-old man sounded rather traumatised when he contacted police at 2.21am on Wednesday.

"He said he had woken up to find a sheep sleeping in his bed and he was sure it was pregnant."

Police did not ask how the young man came to that conclusion.

Rather than asking the sheep to leave, the man did the gentlemanly thing - he left her to sleep in the bed and he spent the rest of the night on the couch, Mr Henderson said.

However, when he checked on her the next morning, it appeared his bed mate had hoofed it some time during the night and she was no where to be found.

A scene check by police later that morning failed to find any trace of the sheep. "There certainly wasn't any dags, wool or hoof marks in the bed."

The complainant could not identify any distinguishing marks on the sheep, making tracking the animal difficult, Mr Henderson said.

Mt Iron Station is about 500m from the man's flat, but no sheep have been reported missing.

The man has admitted being very intoxicated that night.

Police said there were no further inquiries to be made as the man was feeling sheepish enough.

"I've told him I think his flatmates may have played a prank and suggested he give up the drink."