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A FARMER has brought in CCTV and guard dogs to protect his £55,000 flock of Swiss sheep.

Raymond Irvine paid a fortune for 11 Valais Blacknose sheep and thousands more on transportation and vet bills.

Dubbed “the world’s cutest sheep”, they are only found in Switzerland where they are worshipped for their “black hole” faces, shaggy coats and spiral horns.

Raymond bought 10 ewes and show-winning ram King Kong – making it the first herd north of the Border. But the sheep are so valuable he has beefed up security to stop them being stolen from his farm near Tomintoul, Moray.

He posted on Facebook: “Well, that’s the CCTV and guard dogs all in place for these valuable rare imports.”

Raymond, 42, explained how he fell in love with the breed after his girlfriend Jenni McAllister showed him a picture.

He said: “I laughed because I didn’t think they were real. Then we thought there could be something in this so we decided to travel over and see them in real life. We fell in love with them at first sight.

“I think they are the world’s cutest sheep. They are so docile and just make you smile. They have become part of the family, we just love them.”

The animals were transported in a lorry through customs to France, across to Dover and then to Scotland in 24 hours.

And Raymond and Jenni, 34, got a surprise when it turned out one of the ewes was pregnant, and has given birth to Scotland’s first baby Valais Blacknose.

The couple invested in the flock with the hope of producing a breeding stock.

They have no plans to sell individuals but are considering putting a couple of lambs on the market next year.

They may cross them with other breeds but will work to maintain the characteristics of the breed and look at developing a lucrative market for the wool.

Raymond added: “We did a lot of research to pick the right stock, we wanted the best to breed from. I wouldn’t sell them, I never thought as a cattle farmer I’d feel like this.”