Agriculture students have battled the elements to help more than 400 sheep give birth.

Monitoring Hartpury College’s flock of a breed known as ‘north-of-England mules’ for 14 hours a day, staff and 140 learners helped to deliver hundreds of lambs, ferrying fresh water to the site after water supplies froze amid plummeting temperatures.

Now the students are monitoring the progress of the newborn lambs, which spent two days in pens with their mothers before entering the outside world.

Lambing season isn’t quite over, and the college’s 200 ‘easy care’ ewes will begin their own efforts over the next six weeks.

“This is always a busy part of the year for us so we’re grateful that we can rely on the students for help,” said Andrew Eastabrook, the college’s farm manager. “It’s a brilliant way for them to learn; getting hands on with most aspects of the lambing process. Our staff have been brilliant as well in dealing with difficult weather conditions.”