Twenty sheep were brought to the centre of London earlier this month to support the Campaign for Wool’s exhibition at Somerset House.

Their presence from March 14 to 16 proved a huge draw, with hundreds of people visiting the courtyard of Somerset House to take a look.

The National Sheep Association (NSA), which ran the event, used the opportunity to talk to visitors about the many roles sheep perform, as well as providing wool.

The NSA’s Joanne Pugh said: “The interest from the general public was overwhelming, with incredible numbers coming to take a look.”

She added: “We had a team of volunteers to answer questions and were startled by the level of interest visitors had, from basic questions about the breed of sheep, all the way through to really in-depth queries about production systems and how to support the nation’s farmers.

“We handed out more than 400 leaflets providing information on the role sheep play, including putting delicious British lamb on consumers’ plates, contributing to the UK economy, maintaining iconic UK landscapes and keeping rural communities alive. The leaflets carried the Red Tractor logo and encouraged people to eat British lamb, helping make our three days in London a really effective way to promote a positive message about our industry.”

The sheep, a selection of Cotswold, Kerry Hill and Lleyn ewe lambs, were provided by Sir Anthony and Lady Bamford from Daylesford Farms at Stow-on-the-Wold on the Cotswold Hills. NSA is very grateful to Daylesford Farm Manager Richard Smith for his help, and also the willing volunteers who came to London to engage with visitors to Somerset House.