Pygmy goats on a high after grazing on magic mushrooms

Seventies screen siren Alexandra Bastedo is keeping a close eye on her pygmy goats - after they tripped out on magic mushrooms. She said Homer, Marge and Lisa - named after characters in cartoon The Simpsons - took two days to come down from their drugs binge. Ms Bastedo, who shot to fame as secret agent Sharron Macready in cult series The Champions, was shocked when the trio started stumbling around as if they were drunk.

She called a vet who quickly realised they had been scoffing magic psilocybin mushrooms growing in their paddock. The mushrooms contain substances considered Class A drugs. The mushrooms grow naturally in the wild, it is illegal to pick or possess them. Ms Bastedo, 64, a former Bond Girl who now runs the Alexandra Bastedo Champions animal sanctuary in West Chiltington, said they do not seem to have suffered any long-term effects from the experience.



She said: "We knew something was up straight away. Marge started swaying first. She looked weird, as if she had been drinking. "Lisa was vomiting and they were all lethargic. It was strange that they were all acting so out of character. They are normally the friendliest animals we have. We even take them to schools and old people's homes. But they were definitely odd and unwell."

The greedy goats had gone out looking for more to munch on after finishing their food and gorged themselves on the mushrooms. Ms Bastedo said: "They will eat anything and as much as they can get hold of so you have to control their portions. They obviously found the mushrooms tasty and ate a lot. When we looked we found loads in the field. We hadn't ever seen them before. Our volunteers have dug them all up now." The goats took two days to come down from their trip and are now being closely watched in case they go looking for more.