Devastated farmer hits out after sheep mauled to death in dog attack

Councillor Rob Adams, a former chairman of Worcestershire County Council, has been farming for over five decades and runs Aston Hall in Spetchley.

This image shows the bloody scene on his 500-acre plot, where a ewe was found torn to bits last Friday morning.

Cllr Adams, 68, says he's "never" seen anything like it and is appealing for dog walkers to show some common sense and not them off the leash.

No dog owner has yet come forward and owned up to the attack, which has left two young lambs orphaned without a mother.

He said: "It's knocked me for six - I just want to appeal to people, please keep your dogs on a lead.

"Someone has let their dogs kill one of my sheep. I've been doing this since I was 15 and have never experienced this before.

"The sheep had only been out in the fields for two days. I'd bought it last year, it had all its life in front of it.

"When I sent someone from a hunt kennel to pick up the carcass they said 'it's really gone for jugular', there was too much damage for it to be a fox.

"The ewe was still warm and had really been ripped about, it's depressing to be honest.

"At this time of year I'd appeal to people, please be aware, there's a lot of lambs being turned out at this time of year."

On the gates of his farm a large sign has now been placed up telling people about two lambs 'without a mother' to try and spread the message.

He thinks it may have been a dog walker who parked up nearby to allow their pet to go for a walk.

"It's nobody around here, I think someone's decided to pull over while they were driving past and let them go on the fields," he said.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has also spoken of its dismay, saying any livestock being killed is a "major concern".

NFU livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe said: "It's a major concern for our members, from the suffering that is caused to the animals, to the stress and upset for the families and the high costs associated with it.

"As part of our 'Love Your Countryside' campaign we have been working with various organisations such as the Kennel Club and Natural England to provide guidance to the wider community about the need to keep dogs under control."