They may look like they belong in a Disney cartoon but five new arrivals at a farm for autistic children are in fact fully grown sheep.

The new arrivals to the Daisy Chain's Calf Fallow Farm in Norton, Stockton, are called Ouessant and originate from the island with the same name off the coast of Brittany.

They’re the only ones in the region to be housed at a centre like Daisy Chain and helping them settle into their new home is Michelle Woolams, Farm Services Co-ordinator.

She said: “The old Teeswater sheep we had were a bit too big for smaller children so they have gone to well earned retirement. These, as you can see, are much smaller and will be much easier to handle.”

There is one ram, which has quickly been named Rambo, but the others are not yet named. "Perhaps some class of school children somewhere would like to suggest a few names,” suggested Ms Woolams.

The animals have been bought using extra funding derived from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and there is an underlying purpose to their arrival. They will be used to help train the students who visit the farm to gain experience as part of their NVQ in practical farming skills.

Ouessants, bred for their wool, are thought to be the smallest breed of sheep in the world. Rams grow to around 49cm or 19in at the shoulder, ewes around 45cm. That compares to the smallest UK breed, the Primitive Soay, whose rams grow to 51cm to 61cm at the shoulder or 49cm to 54cm for ewes.