Anti-social baa-haviour orders

When Tony Blair last week vowed to update our '19th Century criminal justice system', on-the-spot fines for out-of-control sheep may not have been on his mind.

But in a bizarre campaign leaflet, the official Labour candidate in this week's Parliamentary by-election in Blaenau Gwent promises 'tough new fixed-penalty fines' for hill farmers with wandering flocks.

The 'tough on sheep, tough on the causes of sheep' flyer - which features cartoon depictions of errant sheep - was delivered by Owen Smith, the candidate for Westminster, and John Hopkins, who is standing for the Cardiff assembly.

Written in the usual breathless style of a New Labour crime crackdown, it promises 'action on sheep nuisance'.