27 January 2008 -- The recent sheep circle which has been baffling farmers and sceptics alike in Herefordshire, UK, is not the first to have been reported.

Back in March 2001 there were reports and photographs of sheep circles in Scotland and since then there have been several articles written on the subject with a huge variety of explanations for the phenomenum.

Explanations of all sorts have been put forward from:

• The unusual behaviour of the sheep is bacause of satanic intervention heralding the anti-Christ.

• It could also be connected to Jesus Christ, the good shepherd.

• It's the sheep equivilant of a fairy ring.

• One sheep headed in a circular motion and all the other dopey sods just decided to follow!

And, for the sceptics... it was a man-made set up created by placing rations of feed in a circle to entice the sheep into a circular formation.

But, whichever theory the reader may prefer there are plenty of other reports of similar happenings occurring over the years - with everything from circles of ponies and cats through to birds and goats.