Shear hell as iceberg splits under Shrek

Jim Barnett shears Shrek on the iceberg on the celebrity sheep's 10th birthday. Picture /Otago Daily Times

Two-and-a-half years after being shorn in front of a worldwide television audience, Shrek the celebrity merino wether celebrated his 10th birthday with a shearing on an iceberg 90km off the Otago coast.

Accompanied by his Bendigo Station owner John Perriam, Shrek was blade shorn by Jim Barnett of Oamaru on an iceberg about double the size of the Octagon in Dunedin.

But back at Taieri Airport a relieved Mr Perriam conceded the two-hour round trip had not been without its heart-stopping moments.

Soon after the team landed, the shearing was interrupted by "the most horrifying noise" as the iceberg began creaking and groaning, as if it was breaking up.

Then a huge chunk of the iceberg broke off and crashed into the sea behind the group.

"Yeah, it was pretty scary stuff. I was thinking 'Here we go, we're all going to end up in the drink'," Mr Perriam said.

Otago Daily Times illustrations editor Stephen Jaquiery, who was on the ice with Dunedin freelance cameraman Earl Kingi, immediately radioed helicopter pilot Richard "Hannibal" Hayes.

"I told him to get back as quick as he could to check for any cracks on the iceberg. It felt like the ice was splitting under our feet," said Jaquiery.

"It was a very unsettling feeling for a while."

Watching from another helicopter, ODT photographer Peter McIntosh said he could not believe his eyes as a "massive piece" of the iceberg fell off.

Down on the iceberg, Mr Barnett, who had just begun to remove Shrek's huge fleece, paused. "I thought, 'Well, I better get stuck in and get it done'."

Mr Perriam is philosophical about any criticism that may come his way.

Shrek has raised a lot of money for Cure Kids. "I wanted to raise his profile again and I hope today we've done that."

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES