A DONKEY chorus at Shortwood Farm near Bromyard celebrated the birth of two babies.

The little Jack and Jenny were born within a short time of each other and all the donkeys on the farm began to bray a welcome at the same time.

“The message seemed to spread almost immediately, they just knew.

It was wonderful,” said Janet Legge, one of the owners.

The family – David, Janet and Gina Legge – witnessed a lot of spring births on the farm with chickens, guinea pigs, calves, lambs and piglets all coming into the world.

They had hoped one of their three pregnant donkeys, Sky, Ester and Dusty, would oblige with a baby in time for the enjoyment of visitors at Easter, but not so.

Sky gave a false start, huffing and puffing all night as if in labour but David’s father Edward Legge, who is 87, said it would be another nine days.

For the next week, Janet and Gina took it in turns to watch at night and visitors gave Sky lots of encouragement.

But Edward was proved right.

On the ninth day, as he arrived on the farm, Sky gave birth to a Jack, or male foal.

After casting an eye on the other two pregnant donkeys, Edward predicted they were a week off foaling.

After all the fuss, David and Janet took a walk through the bluebell wood and when they returned they were in for a shock.

Ester, who had shown no signs of approaching labour, had delivered a Jenny, or female foal.

It was almost immediately after the birth that all the Shortwood Farm donkeys heralded the events with their own donkey braying chorus.

Meanwhile Dusty is still waiting her turn to produce.

Sky’s foal, fathered by Alfie, is to be called Ted, because of Edward’s correct prediction.

Ester’s baby, fathered by Harold, is yet to be named. Dusty’s unborn foal is also fathered by Alfie.

The oldest donkey at Shortwood Farm is Rosie, who is now 31 years old and retired.