Man tries to steal lamb from Palacerigg Country Park in Cumbernauld

Thankfully the little black ram, lovingly named ‘Blue’ in honour of the police officer in charge of the investigation into his theft, was later found in a nearby forest area by Palace Rigg’s Head Animal Keeper the night it was taken.

But visitors, police and staff at the park are all still shocked that someone could carry out such an act.

One witness, who asked not to be named, said: “I was there with young children when we saw this man run past with the wee lamb’s legs sticking out from under his arms. He’d covered it in a jumper or something and was running away with it.

“The children were distraught and they were all crying. It was horrible for them to see.”

Paul Rigby, the head animal keeper, spent hours on Saturday night trying to find the terrified baby ram after he discovered it had been abandoned in a nearby field.

Eventually, after painstakingly mimicking sheep noises and trying everything he could, Paul managed to rescue the lamb and reconcile it with its mother.

Now that Blue, his brother Timmy and mother Nikki - also named after the police officer involved in the rescue – are safely reunited, police are continuing the hunt for the suspects.

PC Nikki Collison said: “We have taken statements from the members of the public who have come forward. We have managed to ID one suspect and are close to finding the other two.

“Anyone who has information that might help should come forward so we can quickly catch the other two people involved.”

Meanwhile, Blue was said just to be glaaaaad to be baaaack home...