A SHEEP bears an uncanny resemblance to The Phantom of the Opera — because it was born with a two-tone face.

    And he’s become an unlikely tourist attraction, with people flocking to see his unusual markings, which have earned him the nickname, The Phantom.

    Farmer Paul Phillips, 50, was stunned when the lamb was born with one half of his face black and the other white — just like Michael Crawford’s famous character.

    He believes the sheep — which he decided to nickname The Phantom — has a recessive gene that has led to the unusual face markings.

    Local resident Amy Walker, 20, took a picture of the unique lamb while she was walking near the farm in Kimbolton, Herefordshire, in Britain, earlier last week.

    Farmer Paul, 44, said his famous animal had become an unlikely tourist attraction in the sleepy remote village.

    “It is a pedigree Texel so I know its parentage but it must have a recessive gene for this trait as I have used both the mother and father successfully without this happening,” he said.

    “Seeing him in the field is quite strange and we’ve had lots of people drive up in their cars and take pictures of him. He’s the most famous sheep we’ve ever had.”

    The Phantom was born in February and his mother was sired by Deveronvale Perfection — who fetched a record £231,000 (US$358,141) at auction.

    He is a pedigree Texel breed which originated in Holland and are now a popular lean meat sheep across Europe and in America.

    Paul has been breeding Texels since 2008 and his flock is accredited by Scotland’s Rural College under the Premium Sheep and Goat Health Scheme.

    Amy Walker, who took the first picture of The Phantom, said., “I live by the fields where he keeps his sheep.

    “I just went out for a walk and I spotted the sheep and thought I had never seen anything with those markings before.

    “I took some pictures and when I was looking back at them I thought ‘Oh my God, it looks like the phantom sheep.’

    “I haven’t seen the Phantom of the Opera but I am going to have to watch it now.”

    (SD-Agencies)