A TINY lamb found stranded on the banks of the River Severn has been adopted as a mascot by the rowing club that saved him.
Upton Rowing Club's Women's Eight have named the lamb after football hero Stephen Gerrard after they rescued him during Wednesday's Champions League final.
The lamb, thought to be just one month old, was stuck on a ledge at the bottom of the riverbank upstream from Upton Bridge. Johnny Birks, cox of the Women's Eight, was training his team on the river when he saw it.
"We heard bleating coming from the river bank and I looked over and saw the pathetic sight of a little lamb stuck on a ledge at the bottom of the bank," he said. "With a bit of difficulty I managed to manoeuvre the boat so I could go and pick it up.
"We think he could've been washed from upstream as he was cold and wet through."
The lamb joined the crew for the rest of the session and proved to be a natural sailor.
"He was as good as gold. It was almost like he had been in a boat before," said Mr Birks, "He was quiet and seemed relieved that he had been rescued."
After contacting local farmers and finding none missing a lamb, Mr Birks took him for a check-up with vet Peter Creber, of Malvern's Avenue Road Vetinary Surgery, where he acquired a new name.
"He was rescued in the middle of Wednesday's AC Milan/Liverpool match, so we've called him Gerrard, after Steven Gerrard," said Mr Birks.
Gerrard is now being cared for by Mr Creber, until a new home is found for him.
The crew hopes he can go to a local school, as several locally have farms attached to them.
"We want him to go somewhere where he can have a happy life," said Mr Birks.
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