Five-legged lamb born at Whitehouse Farm, Morpeth

Quinto is proving a hit with visitors

A lamb has been born with five legs at a farm in Northumberland.

Named Quinto by staff at Whitehouse Farm Centre in Morpeth, it was among three born on Sunday.

The additional front limb is fully formed and does not appear to be causing the animal any problems, according to manager Heather Hogarty.

Ms Hogarty said a vet was due to assess Quinto in the next day or so and a decision made whether or not to amputate her extra leg.

Quinto has quickly become one of the star attractions at the farm, which also features llamas, wallabies and meerkats.

Ms Hogarty, who has run the farm's visitor centre for 16 years, said: "We've never come across anything like this before and neither has anyone we've spoken to.

"She's doing absolutely fine at the moment and does not appear to have suffered any adverse effects from being born with an extra leg.

'Healthy weight'

"It looks like it's fully formed, although it's a bit limp in the middle of her lower body.

"As she was being born we just thought it was one of the front legs in an awkward position.

"She and her two sisters are a very healthy weight.

"Having five legs isn't stopping her running about even though it's about the same size as the other legs.

"She is definitely the most unusual birth we've had here.

"We've asked the vet to have a look at her and we would expect the extra leg to be amputated. But that should be straight forward and shouldn't affect her health too much."

Sam Prescott, director of Robson and Prescott Veterinary Centre in Morpeth, said: "It is certainly rare but we will see mutations of different sorts and always have done.

"We'll see lambs born with two heads and Siamese twins, there can be all sorts of deformities that make them nonviable."