ANNE Silverton, from Turley Down Farm, Ash Thomas, was amazed to see four newly-hatched chicks in her farmyard.

It is thought that the birth of the chicks may have been bought on by the unusually mild winter. Anne said: "It's unheard of for hens to go broody in December. I don't know if the mother hen got her knickers in a twist and got confused about the month - they are six months early."

Anne (pictured) and her husband Dave, who run the 80-acre farm, have over 30 chickens and did not notice that one of the free range hens had nested under a privet hedge, as she was still coming out to feed.

In total, six chicks were born but unfortunately only four survived.