THE rarest breed of sheep in the UK is set to go on the menu at a Harwich pub.

The Alma Inn will become the first in Essex to serve up a range of mutton-based meals for two days using meat from the critically-endangered boreray breed.

Andrea Hale, who runs Millfields Farm, in Bradfield, has supplied the meat in the shape of a ram called Mac as part of her conservation project.

Mac will be turned into pies and soup.

Mrs Hale said: “The biggest problem with rare breeds is they are not commercially viable.

“We need to change that. We need to create the market for the meat and wool of these breeds.

“More people wanting the products from them, mean more people breeding them.

“By creating a viable market, more smallholders and small breeders can be encouraged to breed boreray, therefore increasing the numbers and hopefully saving it from extinction.”

The Alma, in Kings Head Street, which has already served Hebridean lamb, is thought to become the first restaurant in Essex to serve boreray.

There are only 300 of the sheep left in the world.

Nick May, owner, said: “Mutton can be an interesting thing to cook, it has a fantastic flavour.

“We will probably be serving it with capers, in a pie and a bone soup.

“We want to use every inch of the animal so nothing goes to waste.”

The meat from rare breed sheep is very lean and contains far lower cholesterol levels than most commercial lamb.

The boreray will be on the menu on Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19.