Elizabeth is a spectacularly sheep-like pig

She oinks, snuffles in a trough and has a fetching set of trotters. 

But it's not just her tail that's curly.

She is a queen of her species - a rare Austrian Mangalitza Gilt - and one of only a handful to thrive in Britain.

Elizabeth was the star buy at a livestock auction in Lancashire at the weekend.

There was frantic bidding, with farmer Tim Fitton paying the winning £250 to buy her for his daughter Alice.

'My daughter really took a shine to her,' he said.

Elizabeth was subject to a fierce bidding war, with the winner paying £250

'We love animals and we just came along to see what this one was all about really.

'We have got to promote these new breeds and it will be interesting to see what happens when we take her home and our own pigs see her. I hope we can breed from her.'

The pig, christened Elizabeth by her new keeper, is settling in well.

Elizabeth the pig wears a golden fleece that could pull the wool over enough eyes to make her the pride of the flock.