Waitrose has sent out 30,000 lamb macs to help improve the chances of survival amongst new season lambs in the harsh wintery conditions battering the UK.

Waitrose’s initiative comes as farmers around the UK have been reporting lamb deaths as a result of the unseasonably cold weather, which has hit the UK just as the Spring lamb season is in full flow.

The macs – which are made of a light plastic material and are biodegradable – have been sent out to farmers in Wales and the West Country.

“Waitrose has been working closely with all their farmers to assess the impact of the snow on lamb supplies,” a spokeswoman said.

Waitrose’s dedicated lamb supply chain enabled Waitrose to get in touch with all their farmers to see how best to support them, the spokeswoman added.