Farmer recreates special lamb moment 40 years on

Tom Martin recreates a picture of him with four newborn lambs that was originally taken more than 40 years ago

A farmer who was pictured as a toddler holding four black lambs born from a single ewe has recreated the moment 40 years on, after the unexpected event happened again.

Tom Martin, 44, said he was "shocked" and "surprised" when the four healthy lambs emerged at his family farm near Peterborough, saying he could just see a "gaggle of legs".

In 1983 he was photographed by the local newspaper alongside his brother and said it was "wonderful" that he could capture the event once more.

Many farmers experience quads in their shepherding lives, but they occur much less often.

Tom Martin (right) was photographed with his brother Daniel in the Peterborough Evening Telegraph on 10 March 1983

With lambing season well under way across the UK, Mr Martin, who had about 20 pregnant ewes, got more than he bargained for from one of his three-year-old sheep - calling it a case of lightning striking twice.

"I could not quite believe it," he said.

"Around six in the morning one of the ewes gave birth to two healthy bleating lambs, then two hours later she had another couple.

"All I could see was a gaggle of legs - it looked like she'd given birth to a couple of octopuses."

Farmer Tom Martin said he saw a "gaggle of legs" under the birthing ewe

Four lambs from a single ewe was "not unheard of", a spokesperson for the National Sheep Association said, but it was far from a regular occurrence.

"Ideally a ewe would give birth to two lambs as she has two teats from which to feed them," they said.

"When an increased number of lambs are born often they are removed from the mother and either fostered on to another ewe or are reared artificially."

Mr Martin said he and his wife Lisa have had to split the feeding shifts between them and "mimic how nature works, so it is right around the clock".

"We do encourage the mum to supply some milk, but as she only has one working teat, she needs all the help we can give," he said.

The lambs need round-the-clock feeding, as their mum only has one working teat

Mr Martin said his brother Daniel was unable to experience the moment with him once more, but he decided to photograph the event before the lambs got too big.

"In 1983 I remember a lot of fuss when one of my family's sheep had four lambs," said Mr Martin, whose farm is in Haddon.

"We even had the local paper come and take pictures. The one they printed included me, referencing that it was a good aid to help me count to four."