A FEARFUL farmer thought his flock had been fliched - only to find them in a field after a day.

A total of 21 sheep worth �903 went missing from a farm at Shiplaw, Eddleston between October 29 and November 5.

But they've since been recovered from a nearby field and the police have deemed the incident a false alarm.

The farmer thought his flock were victims of the infamous black faced ewe bandits who lifted 164 of the livestock from a nearby farm over the summer.

In August we reported how Hugh Stewart, of Upper Kidston farm near Eddleston, had �14,000 worth of his sheep stolen from him over two months.

And police have been unable to snare the sheep snatchers since beginning their investigation.

Mr Stewart told us the thieves must be professionals and using dogs to round up the black faces.

Potential means of transporting kidnapped sheep could be with a transit van or a livestock truck.

Police are still warning farmers to be aware, and appealing to the public for information regarding suspicious activity in the countryside.