Buckfastleigh farmer's shock as sheep shot dead

POLICE are on the hunt for a sheep killer after a farmer discovered two of his flock had been shot.

Chris Stacey thought one of his rare breed sheep had been savaged by a dog when he discovered blood on its neck.

The 42-year-old farmer has 120 sheep of seven types on his farm near Hound Tor and on fields he rents at Pridhamleigh off the A38 at Buckfastleigh.

He later found another sheep, a pregnant ewe, had been shot dead.

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He said: "It was no mistake. Both sheep were shot with a rifle. It was not an accident."

Father-of-one Mr Stacey said it is not the first time one of his pedigree sheep has been killed in an unexplained incident.

He added: "About 18 months ago one of my sheep had its head severed. It had been removed cleanly. There was barely any blood. I don't know what tool was used to do that. It was very distressing."

Mr Stacey reported the killing to police. He said he had last seen to his sheep on the Saturday, January 26, and returned to care for them on the following Tuesday, January 29, when he made the gruesome discovery.

A police investigation into the incident has now been launched.

PC Nick Talbot, from Totnes police station, said: "There aren't many rifles about but to know there is someone shooting sheep is a worry."

PC Talbot asked that anyone who may have witnessed the incident to call 101 and quote the crime reference number JS/13/117.