THE curious case of Larry the missing lamb has astonished farmer's wife Christine Suddes and her five daughters.

The pot lamb was taken from Thornley Pit House farm, just outside Tow Law, County Durham.

Larry, an ornamental white lamb with a distinctive black face, was bought by Christine for £50 earlier this month.

Her husband, Stephen, who runs the farm with his mother, Maureen, just off the busy A68 road, filled Larry up with sand, bolstering his weight to ten stones.

"It took me all my time to get him up on to the farm wall," said Stephen. "But it was well worth it as he quickly became a local landmark and the kids loved him."

But Larry then vanished overnight.

"I bought him because I thought he would provide a bit of light relief after all we have gone through here at Tow Law because of foot-and-mouth," said Mrs Suddes.

"Whoever has taken him probably thinks it's funny, but I am totally devastated. My three-year-old daughter, Sam, has kept asking me what's happened to Larry."

All of the couple's daughters - Stephanie, 13, Stacey, 11, Shanie, eight, Sophie, six, and Sam - were heart-broken at Larry's disappearance, said their mother