Goats deployed to clear overgrown graveyards
The goats are loaned from a nearby business to chew their way through brambles, weeds, and excess foliage at the 13th century church.
The animals have been hired by Narberth town council in Pembrokeshire to work at St Andrew's Church and are monitored by GPS so they do not wander off.
The council said the goats can provide a natural and chemical-free way of clearing areas and are trialling the method over the next two to three weeks.
Locals have been asked not to approach the goats at work, supervise children nearby and keep dogs on leads.
A spokesman for the council said: 'Narberth town council is continuing its work to enhance the grounds of St Andrew's Church as part of our ongoing biodiversity and environmental improvement programme.
'These goats will help clear excess growth around gravestones and across the site, enabling us to implement a longer-term ground management plan.'
Clynderwen-based company Biogoats 2 Rent also hire the goats out privately to businesses, the national park authority and other churches.
A spokesman for the company said: 'Bio Goats is an eco-friendly weed and brush control company. We hire goats out to the private, business, and agricultural sectors.
'Conservation grazing is the eco-friendly way of dealing with invasive weed, brush and knotweed.
'Goats are browsers first so leaves and a good old bramble bush, would be their first go-to, also once seeds have passed through a goat, they are generally non-viable.
' Goats are also generally very friendly and sociable animals so you might also make yourself a friend or two.'
Richard White, who runs the business, said the goats are monitored by GPS rather than using collars in a process recently shown on Clarkson's Farm, the Amazon Prime Video series.
Mr White said: 'I think he stole the idea from us. We're the only company in the UK to do this. We get inquiries from all over the UK, but the travel costs can make it unviable for customers from further away.
'We enjoy what we do and meet some nice people along the way.'
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