A young ewe, who was gifted her very own wheelchair after two of her back legs stopped working, is "doing fine" after adapting to her new wheels.

After the national spotlight was shone on Winnie the wheelchair sheep in recent weeks, the Suffolk lamb has met up with the flock at a clifftop churchyard for the first time.

Lowestoft Journal: Winnie the wheelchair sheep at Pakefield Church in Lowestoft with Katey Mills. Picture: Mick HowesWinnie the wheelchair sheep at Pakefield Church in Lowestoft with Katey Mills. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

With the Pakefield sheep having taken centre stage and captured the attention of crowds of onlookers for a number of years as they walk past the churchyard at All Saints & St Margaret's Church in Pakefield, Lowestoft two new March-born spring lambs - Winnie and Roo - are set to join the flock to help keep the grass in check.

Rodney - a Suffolk Ram - and three Soay sheep called Poppy, Skye and Sparkle - all enjoy the surroundings as they live at Pakefield Church.

And on Saturday, as the church held its summer fete, it was an "exciting" occasion as bleats of delight echoed out around the churchyard when Winnie and Roo met Rodney, Poppy, Skye and Sparkle.

Lowestoft Journal: Winnie the wheelchair sheep meeting some of the flock at Pakefield Church. Picture: Mick HowesWinnie the wheelchair sheep meeting some of the flock at Pakefield Church. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

Katey Mills, who is the children, youth and families minister at Pakefield Church, said: "Winnie is doing absolutely fine at the moment.

"She has a quality of life, and we didn’t want her to be put down, so we decided to care for her."

Lowestoft Journal: Winnie the wheelchair sheep at Pakefield Church. Picture: Mick HowesWinnie the wheelchair sheep at Pakefield Church. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

After collecting the two rare breed Suffolk lambs named Roo and Winnie - who are between 15 and 17-weeks-old - a week into having them, Winnie sadly woke up with no use of her back legs.

Mrs Mills said: "We found that it was possible to fit the ewe with 'cart wheels', and there was more joy as we met the Winston‘s Wheels Charity who made it possible even though it was 'the first wheelchair sheep' that they had ever helped."

With the intention of them becoming part of the flock, this took another step forward at the weekend with the unveiling at the summer fete.

Lowestoft Journal: Winnie the wheelchair sheep and Roo unveiled at Pakefield Church. Picture: Mick HowesWinnie the wheelchair sheep and Roo unveiled at Pakefield Church. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

Mrs Mills said: "Winnie has adapted very well to the wheels and cart and once she goes, she goes – but she is also quite stubborn.

"We even ventured into church with them on Saturday where the summer fete had moved to because of the strong winds, and she attracted a lot of attention.

"Saturday was the first time that Winnie and Roo have properly been to the churchyard, and it was the first day that the other sheep have noticed them.

"So that was really exciting.

Lowestoft Journal: Winnie the wheelchair sheep unveiled at Pakefield Church. Picture: Mick HowesWinnie the wheelchair sheep unveiled at Pakefield Church. Picture: Mick Howes (Image: Mick Howes)

"It was the first introduction and although they were a bit wary, they came over and bleated a greeting to them which was nice, really nice."

"We have been able to obtain a little bit of grazing for Winnie and Roo in Pakefield which is nice.

"The sheep go on it for a couple of hours a day and then come back to my garden.

"We have borrowed a trailer and they have a ride in that as we travel to the grazing field."

With donations towards the cost of the feed for the sheep being sought at the weekend, Mrs Mills added: "Without foraging the sheep rely quite a lot on grass nuts and sheep mix.

"We also welcome green garden waste such as grass and veggies and they love spring greens but we have to be careful that it is not sheep toxic.

"We have a Pakefield Church holiday club coming up and during that time we will have a competition going on for the children to choose a new name for Roo.

"Also, we would soon like to introduce Roo into the churchyard to get to properly know the other Pakefield sheep.

"If we can get enough helpers, we may also be able to bring Winnie into the churchyard and even take the wheels off so that she can roam."