A psychic sheep at an animal sanctuary has predicted Italy will be like lambs to the slaughter when they face England in the Euro 2012 quarter finals on Sunday.

The Swalesdale ram at the Roleystone Sanctury, Wrose, Shipley, who has been named Curly, forecast a win for Roy Hodgson’s men after already successfully predicting the result of the side’s games against Sweden and France in the group stages.

To make his selection, Dianne French, who runs the sanctuary, presented Curly with two food buckets - one with a photograph of Wayne Rooney attached, and a second showing Italian striker Mario Balotelli.

After a few moments’ deliberation, Curly, who was rehomed at the site after being found abandoned in Wakefield, predicted an England win by choosing to eat from Rooney’s bucket.

Dianne said: “He’s picking an England win - by what he doesn’t say!”