The two animals had been stranded on the cliff at Grève de Lecq for a week before they were rescued by Tony Riley and Jay Kimpton, who run Rope Access Services Channel Islands, and a colleague. Mr Riley, whose firm provides rope access services to companies and individuals, said: ‘The main issue we had was establishing a proper grip so we could safely go down the cliff-edge, which was made out of loose soft rock.
‘I was wary not to scare the sheep and lose them. I don’t think I would have been able to live with myself if one of them had got spooked and jumped.
‘From the way they were positioned on the cliff, we thought they had probably been chased by dogs.’
Both sheep were released back onto the headland following the two-hour rescue operation.
It is understood that the sheep belonged to shepherd Aaron Le Couteur, who has lost at least five sheep and two lambs since July last year after they were chased off the cliff by dogs.
A total of 20 pregnant rare four-horned Manx Loaghtan sheep were first brought over by the National Trust for Jersey in 2009 to help keep vegetation under control.
Under the Dogs (Jersey) Law 1961, it is an offence for dogs to chase or worry livestock or to not be under proper control. Anyone proven to be in breach of the law is liable to a fine of up to £1,000.
