'Puppet sheep' star in stage play about Herdwick shepherd's life

A flock of puppet sheep are about to take centre stage in a new play about the life of a Herdwick shepherd.

A team of community actors are being trained how to operate the sheep by puppetry director Jimmy Grimes, who worked on the smash-hit War Horse.

The play, called The Shepherd's Life, opens at Keswick's Theatre by the Lake in Cumbria this weekend.

Both Mr Grimes and community cast member Max Tyler say the cast is raring to go, and director Chris Monks says people are sure to love the puppets and the frank account of a year in the life of a hill farming family.