FARMER Heath Kershaw is well known for the alpacas he has been breeding at Wellybob’s Farm for five years.

But one of his herd, Rachel, caught him by surprise when she gave birth – without anyone even realising she was pregnant.

And Mr Kershaw saved the young cria’s life when he found him in the field suffering from hypothermia.

He said he was lucky to spot baby Kojak, the newest addition to the Lower Eccleshill Road farm, in Darwen.

The farmer and business owner said: “Driving around the farm, I noticed him in the field and he was totally unexpected. He was suffering from hypothermia, and we had to take him into the house for the night to keep him warm. I then had to find his mum, and get some milk to give him his first feed.

“I saved his life, but I am used to it, working with livestock.”

There are 25 alpacas on Wellybob’s Farm, and Mr Kershaw said Kojak would be sold on.

He said: “We tend to keep our girls, and the boys get sold on as pets. People who have big gardens like to keep them as pets.”

With spring in the air, Mr Kershaw said he was preparing for a lot more baby animals, and he is the one who ends up caring for them if they are in distress.

He said: “We are expecting lots of lambs, calves and alpacas this season. I am usually the one who gets up in the night to see to the animals if they are due to give birth. Myself and other staff get up in the night to feed the animals that need taking care of.”

Kojak earned the name of the famous bald, lollipop-sucking seventies TV detective, because of a bald patch on his head.

He has since made a full recovery, and is back in the stable with his mum.

Mr Kershaw said: “I knew there was something wrong with the alpacas, and I was glad that I went down to investigate.

“Kojak is doing fine now, and took his first steps once he’d made a full recovery.”