HE may be just two feet tall but at £128,000 he is already worth more than many top market homes.

This is Top Hill Joe, the most expensive sheep in the world.

The five-month-old Texel lamb from Bury smashed all records when he was sold at auction in Scotland.

Joe, bred by David and Jane Houghton of Isherwood Farm, is seen as a perfect example of the fashionable Texel breed. It is the second time David has broken the world record, in 1998 he sold the most expensive lamb for £22,000.

Joe, who smashed the previous highest price of £105,000, was named after David's dad who died, aged 73, the day before the lamb was born. His three brothers -- Johnson, Jet Set and Jenson -- also proved a hit with bidders, going to separate buyers for a combined fee of £53,000.

But it was Joe's entry at the Lanark auction that sparked a fierce bidding war between two bidders determined to add him to their collection.

A consortium of breeders from Aberdeenshire finally prevailed and now hope he will go on to sire up to 400 super-lambs of his own.

David, aged 38, who has bred sheep for the past 14 years, was astonished as the price rocketed upwards.

He had expected to pick-up just £2,000 for his prize specimen.

David said: "Lambs are like race horses - if you've got a good one then it's worth a fortune.

"It is a great feeling for a breeder but we try not to get carried away, we always remember we are only as good as our last flock."

The Texel sheep originates from a northern Dutch island and is famed for its camel coloured wool. Its popularity comes from its good breeding potential and lean meat.

Brian Ross, the auctioneer who sold Joe, said: "We had two groups who were determined to get this sheep and they just kept pushing each other higher and higher.

"It is quite a feeling selling the most expensive sheep in the world."

A spokesman for the National Farmers' Union said: "David is a fastidious farmer with arguably the best stock in the country."