BABE the Sheep-Pig met young members of the flock at Roves Farm yesterday ahead of his appearance at the Wyvern Theatre next month.

Director Matt Forbes, who spent three years as puppeteer for Warhorse star Joey, took the little character devised by children’s author Dick King Smith to see day-old arrivals in the lambing shed.

Babe is just one of a whole farmyard of puppets featuring in the production adapted for the stage by David Wood. Puppies, geese, turkeys and a cat all feature.

“It’s a full-on family show,” said Matt. “It looks beautiful, it sounds incredible, the set design is stunning and the production values are enormous.”

The actors will be using techniques honed in Warhorse to give the puppets as many animalistic qualities as they can. “We want our audience to see these puppets thinking and feeling like those animals.

“Our actors have done a beautiful job in really building these characters.”

He added that they had also been out to visit farms and researched the animals they were portraying.

The book was first published in 1983 and won a Guardian Children’s Fiction Award. The film version was nominated for seven Oscars.

Launched in London the production is currently touring the country. It is being staged on April 29 and 30 and tickets are available from the box office on 01793 522481.