Shreddie the goat is a superstar (no kidding)

A GOAT called Shreddie caused a stir in Henley on Thursday last week.

Lots of passers-by took pictures of the animal tethered outside shops and Twitter was inundated with comments about him.

Phil Stubbington said: “In Henley people are so posh they take their goat for a walk” while Elizabeth Mallins commented: “I saw a lady walking round town with a pet goat today. Gotta love Henley!”

In fact, Shreddie is owned by illustrator Pea Brodhurst, 66, from Stanford Dingley, near Reading. She adopted him as an orphan five years ago and now takes him everywhere she goes — including family holidays.

Mrs Brodhurst, who is originally from Wargrave, kept a diary of her escapades with Shreddie, which she has now published as a book called Do Goats Go To Heaven?

The book is on sale at the Bell Bookshop in Bell Street and has already sold about 600 copies.

She said: “I found Shreddie at a farm. He was orphaned very early in his life and the farmer was going to leave him out in the fields to be taken by birds of prey.

“I found this impossible to take and adopted him. Now he comes more or less everywhere with me and has even been on holiday to Cornwall.”

Mrs Brodhurst lives at an old water mill with her husband Robin, 61, a retired schoolmaster, and their daughters Candida, 42, and Olivia, 39, and grandson Luca, 10. They also have two dogs, Hoolie, a spaniel, and a terrier called Biff.

Mrs Brodhurst said: “Shreddie and Robin fight for superiority in our house. Shreddie is forever butting Robin and they have a difficult relationship. Goats are fundamentally very clever creatures. Shreddie can understand commands and can even open door handles.”

If you want to meet Shreddie, he will be back at the book shop for the late night shopping event tonight.