MAYBE it's fate - call it llama karma. But a Gwent attraction closed by foot and mouth is celebrating a promising sign from Mother Nature just a few days before its re-opening.

Staff at Greenmeadow Community Farm, in Cwmbran, had a surprise when they arrived at work on Tuesday morning and discovered that a llama had given birth a month earlier than normal. Des Swords, farm manager, said: "We have had a baby llama born. It is the first one of the season. We do not know if it is a male or female yet.

"In fact, it is a bit early. We would normally expect them to calve around the middle of June or July."

The popular attraction has been closed for three months as a precaution against the spread of foot and mouth.

But next Monday is the grand re-opening of the farm after being given the all-clear, and Mr Swords is hoping for a "party atmosphere".

He said: "We are getting very much upbeat. The weather is fine. It is a good week to open as it is half-term as well. We are really going to go for it now."

The farm has also just taken delivery of 100 day-old baby ducklings. He joked: "There are lots of babies here."

Bob Wellington, Greenmeadow Community Farm chairman, said: "We are really looking forward to opening and getting back to normal."

*Des Swords is pictured introducing the baby llama to another member of the herd.