A GOAT kid rejected by its mother in freezing conditions has become an internet sensation in its first week of life and could even inspire a series of children’s stories.

Jorvik was born at Woodhow Farm in Wasdale weighing just one kilogram, small even for his rare Bagot breed.

He was rejected by his mother, who was kidding for the first time, in sub zero temperatures but was brought into the farmhouse to be hand-reared by farmers Richard and Sam Scrivener.

Since Richard started posting photographs and writing about Jorvik on Twitter, hundreds of people from Cumbria and beyond have become ‘followers’ of his antics.

“This nanny was not due to be giving birth so early but she and a couple of others did,” he said.

“It is unusual for nannies to reject kids; in the past we have put Herdwicks on goats because they are good mothers. But everything is going wrong really because of the wetness last year, and the nannies are not as big as they normally are.

“When she left him we fetched him into the house and he has been sleeping in here while going back into the barn during the day.

“We have to keep reminding him he is a goat. He likes to jump on the sofa and watch TV; we caught him wiggling his bum to the music the other day.”

Jorvik – named after Richard’s own Viking heritage – sleeps in the farmhouse at night and is put back in the barn during the day where Richard has been trying to get the nanny to take an interest in him.

“She has noticed him but she won’t allow him to milk. I also introduced him to his dad and Jorvik gave his face a good kick – I’m sure he will remember that when they are out in the field together.”

Living in the house has caused the young goat some confusion. Richard said he pushed his way into their bedroom one night through the crack in the door.

Not able to see them in bed or the space he had come through into the room, he spent the night stood up sleeping in the corner facing the wall.

And Richard, who said he has always wanted to write a book, said Jorvik could provide the perfect inspiration for some adventure books in the vein of Tintin.

“He’s such a little character and has sparked a lot of interest. It is great because it is helping to raise awareness of Bagots.

“There are only about 100 to 150 registered female in the country, so it is quite an endangered breed.”

There are 38 female and 20 male Bagots at the farm, which is also run as a conservation and education centre, as well as other rare breeds.

These include Angoras and British lop and Tamworth pigs. And the farm is also home to Herdwick and Swaledale sheep, highland cattle and golden Guernsey goats, not to mention the Collies and Labradors, a springer, spaniel, and the ducks, cats, and peacocks.

“My family farms down in Nottinghamshire and when we took over this farm we wanted to go back to how I was brought up and how my dad farmed - as green as possible," Richard said.

“Yes we have tractors and the normal equipment but there are no chemicals on the farm and we limit what goes in the animals as much as possible.

“We welcome groups of any ages here if they are interested in conservation.

“In the six years we have been here we have restored quite a lot of the traditional Cumbrian hedges, replanted and planted new wood plants, and blocked up drainage on some fields to create fens.

“Our work has attracted species back to the farm over 150 acres and the fells, including more than 42 types of bird.

“We are also working with Durham University to get some British Primitive goats on the farm so we can help that breed as well.

“Bagots are no good for milk and only okay for meat, which is why they became more of a parkland breed, cleaning up the big parks like at Levens Hall.

“There is no money for us there, it is a passion – or a madness.”

Jorvik can be found under the username @RareBreedGoats on Twitter.