A NETHERTON family has become Huddersfield's first alpaca breeder.
The Barber family started breeding the animals, which originate from South America, two months ago at their second home in Leyburn, North Yorkshire.
Now the family have five alpacas with two of them, Tupac and Oregano, at Hinchliffe's Farm Shop in Netherton today and until tomorrow lunchtime.
Breeder and knitting expert Sally Barber said: "They're very unusual but they're becoming more popular in this country.
"My husband Keith and son Jack have got dermatitis and they have to be very careful what they wear. Alpaca fleece doesn't irritate because it's the purest form of fleece.
"We've always wanted to farm and we didn't want to kill any animals so we jumped at the chance to breed alpacas.
"They're very friendly and they're great lawnmowers. They're low maintenance and they make good pets."
The Barbers hope to produce garments made from the animal's highly regarded fleece.
Mrs Barber added: "The main thing is breeding them to improve the quality of the fleece. It's much higher value than sheep's wool.
"One pair of alpaca baby bootees from Harrods costs £180! One alpaca fleece gives enough to produce six adult jumpers."
The family hope to sell alpaca wool garments on the internet and in Hinchliffe's from next spring.
Mrs Barber aims to start an alpaca section at Honley Show next year.
Alpacas originate from South America where they have been herded for thousands of years
They are from the camel family and most closely related to llamas, vicuñas and guanacos.
Alpaca fleece is a luxurious fibre, similar to sheep's wool in some respects, but lighter in weight, silkier, warmer, not prickly and lanolin-free, making it nearly hypoallergenic.
There are 12,000 alpacas in the UK.
