Mystery as sheep walk around around in continuous circle for '12 days without stopping'

A flock of sheep in northern China appear to have gone absolutely bonkers.

Footage captured this month shows a massive group of the farm animals following each other around in a circle.

The weirdest part? They apparently proceeded to walk continuously in the circle for 12 days straight. Watch the eerie footage below:

Speaking about the animals’ bizarre behaviour, that their owner, Ms Miao, reportedly said it started with just a few sheep, but eventually the whole gang followed suit.

Fancy another weird curveball? Well, despite there being 24 sheep pens on the farm, only the sheep in pen number 13 have been acting this way. You know what they say about the number 13…

In news that will probably disappoint the superstitious among you, there’s probably a scientific reason for the animals’ weird behaviour.

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More specifically, a bacterial disease called Listeriosis, which is known to make animals ‘circle’ in the way that Ms Miao’s sheep were.

Listeriosis is commonly associated with spoiled silage (sheep food) and causes disorientation and inflammation on one side of an animal’s brain, hence the circling.

In more serious cases, the disease can even lead to paralysis on the affected side.

While we’re on the subject of sheep behaving badly, it’s probably worth bringing to your attention the fact that in May, a sheep was actually arrested for its antics.

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Over summer, a ram was taken into police custody in South Sudan and sentenced to jail for three years after being found guilty of killing a woman. We sh*t you not.

Officer Major Elijah Mabor explained the situation to Sudan's Eye Radio at the time, saying: "The ram attacked by hitting her ribs and the old woman died immediately. So this is what happened in Rumbek East in a place called Akuel Yol.

"Our role as police is to provide safety and separate fights. The ram was apprehended and currently under custody at a Police Station of Maleng Agok Payam."

Mabor added: "The owner is innocent and the ram is the one who perpetrated the crime so it deserves to be arrested then later on the case shall be forwarded to customary court where the case can be handed amicably."

The ram - who has so far not released a statement about his arrest - will spend his sentence in a military camp in Aduel County headquarters in Sudan's Lakes State.