The Devil once resided at Cockerham, a prosperous village some 5 miles northwest of Pilling. His (or her) presence caused crop failure and livestock problems. The village parson, doctor and schoolmaster challenged him to battle of wits - and they won. The Devil was furious, and took a giant stride out of Cockerham, his hoof landing on Broadfleet Bridge in Pilling. His next stride took him to Blackpool, where he still lives.
A herd of goats have returned to their “summer job”, grazing on cliffs on the Norfolk coast, in what the council describes as “an important habitat-management role”.
The Bagot goats are bred and reared by North Norfolk District Council and let loose on the Cromer cliffs each year. Their job is to maintain the vegetation in an area the council said would be difficult to manage with machinery. An eight-strong herd arrived in 2016 but there are now more than 20 goats. The district council estimated that using the goats saved about £15,000 each year in clifftop maintenance.
The council says the habitat management would prove difficult with “machine-operated conservation”. The goats, it said, were well-loved by local people and tourists at the seaside town, and a range of goat-inspired merchandise had been produced.