A concerned walker has spoken of his ‘horror’ after seeing dead sheep littered across a farmland.
The sheep are located on farmland off Wigglesworth Road (B6478), Tosside, past Slaidburn in the Ribble Valley.
The sheep are believed to belong to a nearby farm.
In pictures sent to the Lancashire Telegraph, the dead animals, some of them small lambs, have been left lying dead and decomposing in the field.
Some of the lambs still have umbilical cords and the remnants of birthing sacs can be seen on the newborn animals which lie dead in the fields.
Live animals can be seen alongside the dead sheep.
The man, who did not wish to be named, said people can see the lambs in a poor condition from the side of the road.
A further walk into the farmland reveals ‘something out of a horror movie’.
He said: “There are dead animals across the farmland.
"I counted at least seven dead sheep and three dead lambs that had died following birth. Some of these have been here for days.
“There are carcasses right next to where other lamb are feeding.
“I am not sure what is going on here and you would think whoever is responsible would be able to check and find out why the sheep are dying?
“This is no way to treat animals.”
The RSPCA have been approached for comment.
Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) said they would investigate concerns have been raised however were unable to comment on individual cases.
An APHA spokesperson said: “We take breaches of animal welfare legislation very seriously and investigate every allegation that is reported to us. Since 2020, we have supported over 60 prosecutions against animal welfare breaches.”
“We do not comment on individual cases. We will always take appropriate action where non-compliances with welfare regulations are disclosed.”
The APHA said that anyone who has serious concerns about the welfare of livestock is urged to immediately report them to APHA to allow prompt investigation. England: telephone 03000 200 301 or email customeradvice@apha.gov.uk.
Attempts have been made to find the landowner responsible for the fields where the sheep were discovered, but have so far been unsuccessful.
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