Mrs Down's Diary, October 20 2005

This morning John came in for assistance to catch an ewe that has maggots in its shoulder.

Incredibly, she must have originally had maggots in her foot, and then because she ewes sleep with their legs tucked up (this one does in any case) the maggots have crawled into the fleece on her shoulder and wriggled through into her flesh.

Oliver sat happily playing with his trains and cars on the front seat of the Land Rover while his grandparents raced round trying to catch a less than debilitated ewe.

"I thought she had a poorly foot," I said in desperation. "She has" John replies. "You'd have to run a lot faster if she was fit."

Mrs Down's Diary appears every week in the West Sussex Gazette. To read this article in full, see the issue of October 20.