Forget Babe the pig, meet the pheasant who wants to be a sheep dog!

The game cock pheasant helps a slightly bemused farmer round up his scared herd of 270 every morning.

For the past 18 months, the bird has helped Cumbrian farmer Chris Purdham and his dog keep their livestock in order.

Every day this pheasant appears to help Cumbrian farmer Chris Purdham move his sheep

The pheasant is not scared by Mr Purdham's sheepdog or the quad bike and is never far from the sheep

Mr Purdham said he was shocked when it first happened but now it is just the norm for him

The unnamed bird appears several times a day at Chris's Gamblesby farm while he does the rounds on his quad-bike checking on his fell sheep.

Mr Purdham, 33, said: 'He's there first thing in the morning, and last thing at night, and even when I go down at times during the day to check on the sheep.

'He just appears when he hears my quad-bike.'

The unnamed bird follows them across the fields and even makes sure the stragglers keep up

Checking there are none left behind Mr Purdham has joked he is just as good as a sheep dog

The bird first joined Mr Purdham at work last year during his 2015 lambing season

The bird first joined Mr Purdham at work last year during his 2015 lambing season.

Chris, said: 'He first started following me around the fields and down the lonning.

'Then one day he just started to round the sheep up. I couldn't believe what I was seeing at first, but I have got used to him now.

'It's definitely the same cock pheasant. After I've finished checking the sheep, we both go our own way to get our breakfast.'

Mr Purdham posted a video online showing his new assistant rounding up sheep from one field through a farmgate to an adjoining one.

Since posting the video the pheasant has become an internet sensation, getting 2,000 hits a day on Facebook.

A video he posted of the daily occurrence sent internet users mad and it gets around 2,000 hits a day

Mr Purdham added: 'He even waits for a couple of seconds to make sure all the stragglers are through.'

'He's not even afraid of my sheepdog.

'They seem to have got used to each other, and the pheasant is definitely cock of the walk. He just goes where the sheep are.'

If an unusual animal herding sheep rings a bell, you are not the first to be reminded of the film Babe in which a pig raised by sheepdogs, takes on the role.

Pheasants are usually seen as pests in the country but this one has made himself very useful

Pheasants are usually seen as pests in the country and can often be shot by farmers, but this one has certainly shown his use.

Mr Purdham said: 'I've had a few friends comparing the pheasant with Babe.

'I have come in for a bit of ribbing from friends, but mostly people cannot believe their eyes.

'One friend said he needed a good dog, but I told him the bird wouldn't come cheap. A good dog like that is worth its weight in gold.'