A firm has been fined thousands for transporting live sheep through Dover on ferries - and declaring them as meat.

Onderwater Agnueax was ordered to pay more than £10,000 after it was convicted by Dover magistrates of six charges under the Welfare of Animals in Transport Order.

The firm was fined £1,000 per offence, plus £4,355 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

The offences only came to light when a smell came from the trailers, declared as "boxed meat".

The company was using converted refrigerated trailers to carry live animals on standard ferries from Dover, which do not carry livestock, as a cheaper and quicker transport option.

Kent County Council's Kent Trading Standards worked with Dover Harbour Board Police and government officers to prevent the company using both Dover and Ramsgate ports in this way.

Kent Trading Standards Area Manager, Mark Rolfe said: "This is a good result. We take the welfare of animals in transit very seriously and placing them and other ferry users at risk to cut costs is unacceptable and illegal."