LOST and lonely, a young red deer has bucked tradition and found himself a new family – a flock of sheep!

National Trust shepherd Andrew Capell made the discovery while counting his flock at Dunwich Heath recently.

The little deer appears to have become separated from his herd before attaching himself to the first group of animals he came across.

He has been living, eating and sleeping with his 100 new friends for about two weeks now and shows no sign of leaving.

Mr Capell said: “I was counting the sheep on New Year’s Day when I spotted this little deer amongst the flock. He seems happy to be living with the sheep and has made a few friends. They seem to have accepted him as one of their own.”

The National Trust had only recently moved the 100 sheep north from Orford Ness National Nature Reserve, where the fields become flooded with shallow water in the winter and so are too wet for the sheep to graze.

It is hoped the young deer will rejoin his herd if they roam past the flock over the coming weeks.