A KUWAITI prince is flying by private jet to the UK to inspect two large male goats from the Black Mountains.

If Tyegronon Atom and Tyegronon Zealand from Michaelchurch Escley are given the royal seal of approval they will fly back to join his 500-strong royal herd.

Owner, Maggie Franklin, of Tanners Place, Michaelchurch Escley, said she doesn't yet know who the regal goat breeder is, only that he wants two big Anglo Nubian males.

"I have sent to a sheik before but this is the bees knees this time, especially when you hear he's sending his own private jet to collect the animals."

She added: "We will all go to Heathrow Airport on May 2 and I have to take packed lunches for the goats. I have to stay there until the 'boys' are in the air just in case something goes wrong in the jet. I can't believe it; the prince has 500 goats and is buying two adult males from us - and we have only got 10."

The request was for brown goats. Maggie was worried that she would offend the prince by sending the wrong colour and submitted photos through the British Goat Society, who had recommended her Nubians.

She describes black and tan Atom as an explosive young gentleman and says he is not to be trusted with anyone in his pen. Zealand, who is brown, stands handsomely at 1m 30cm tall, and is 'quite a big boy' by goat standards. Just what the prince is after.

Maggie, who has been breeding goats for more than 30 years and sent animals all over the world, has heard the prince uses them for his own household milk supply and even takes animals with him on royal visits.

"It was a big decision to let them both go. They are both beautifully bred and I was worried about letting the national herd down," said Maggie - but she knows her boys will live like princes themselves at their exotic royal palace, wherever it is.