Mystery of rambling herd of goats in Pulborough

The seven goats – described as being ‘in good condition’ – were spotted near the RSPB reserve at Wiggonholt but so far efforts to trace the herd’s owners have drawn a blank.

Sophie Forbes, who runs the Sportsman Inn at Amberley with her husband Lee, was about to get some lunch at around 1.30pm on Monday when she and Lee came across the animals.

"They were heading towards the busy A283,” said Sophie. “They were right in the middle of the road, just mooching about.

"A lot of people drive quite quickly there and we stopped to get them somewhere safe.

"We rounded them up. They were quite tame. We got them on to Wiggonholt Common, but they kept escaping.”

The couple eventually managed to barricade them in with some logs before setting about trying to find the goats’ owners.

Meanwhile, other villagers stepped in to help. Emails were sent out to local farmers, landowners and nearby Parham House to see if anyone knew anything about the wandering herd.

But so far no-one has come forward to claim the goats which are now being temporarily ‘housed’ with people living nearby.

"It’s a bit strange,” said Sophie. “The goats seem very well looked-after.

"They are lovely. I wanted to take them home myself but unfortunately I don’t have anywhere to keep them.”

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The goat – Capra hircus – is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock.

It was domesticated from the wild goat of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe.