VISITORS to a new coffee shop can be forgiven for thinking they are seeing things.

But Billy the Bagot goat and friend really are grazing on the turf roof.

The Remnant family officially open Goats on the Roof on their rare breed farm, near Rothbury, Northumberland, on Thursday.

Nina Remnant said the concept was popular in Canada and the US.

“But as far as I know there isn’t anywhere in this country that boasts goats on the roof,” she said.

“We will be literally raising the profile of Bagot goats – these tiny goats are so rare that only a few herds remain in the country.

We also hope they will bring attention to the work we do with other rare breeds.”

The cafe is a diversification of their Fontburn Rare Breeds enterprise, which is open to the public.

It features rare pigs such as Oxford sandy and blacks, Tamworths and saddlebacks, Hebridean sheep and rare breed hens such as buff Orpingtons and marsh daisies.

The centre has the support of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, which is helping it to become a conservation centre.

The cafe and visitor centre received funding from the Rural Development Programme via One North East.

The cafe, which serves local produce and rare breed pork and lamb from the farm, has created eight jobs.

The centre can be contacted on 01669- 620599, or see goatsontheroof.co.uk