A SHEEP from West Somerset is set to become a movie star next week when the film ‘The Sheep Detectives’ is released in cinemas.

The film stars Hugh Jackman - alongside the rare breed sheep Ivor, a Norfolk Horn ram reared near Williton.

Ivor’s owners Chris Sully and son William have been showing their rare breed flock and winning top awards for decades, including at Dunster Show.

Which is how they came to the attention of a casting agent when the film’s producers were looking for a sheep with character to play the twins ‘Ronnie’ and ‘Reggie’.

Chris Sully said: “When we got the email we thought it was some kind of joke, but we thought it would not do any harm so we replied.

“They wanted sheep which were used to being handled and could stand still for a long time like ours do when we show them.

“They sent a lorry down to Williton and took Ivor up to Pinewood Studios.

“Although ‘Ronnie’ and ‘Reggie’ look like twins, they are both played by Ivor.

“In the film he is a bit of a nutter and starts smashing up cars and things like that, and he is a bit like that in real life.”

The Sullys keep about 70 rare breed sheep in total, of which 40 are Norfolk Horns, which have been around since the time of the Anglo Saxons, and graze them on land in Bicknoller and near Washford.

Norfolk Horns are characterised by their black faces and legs, and large, spiral horns.

William Sully, who works at the Hinkley Point C site and is an on-call fireman with the Nether Stowey brigade, became involved in the business at the age of six months, when he was pictured in the Free Press with a sheep at Dunster Show in 1999.