A dog “ripped the face” off a sheep, killing it and another and injuring many more in vicious attacks.

Farmers at Snoad Farm in Otterden have had to remove hundreds of sheep from a field after two separate attacks left dead ewes and more fighting for their lives.

Julie Murray owns Snoad Farm and had a phone call from one of her neighbours, who was passing the field on horseback when she noticed some of the sheep.

Mrs Murray said: “We went straight down there and it was obvious that the ewe was dead. She had huge gashes in her neck and blood all over her.

“Then we noticed another one. She had half her face ripped off but was still alive – she was in an awful state.

"I had to get someone down there to shoot her straight away because she was suffering and was never going to make it.”

Two other ewes had also been attacked but Mrs Murray thinks they will survive and she has now removed all of the sheep from the field.

The field has no public right of way but Mrs Murray believes the dogs may have got in through holes in the fence, so she is spending the next few days blocking any access.

The sheep are part of Mrs Murray’s business at Snoad Farm, which she has owned for more than 25 years, and when one is killed, she loses about £60 of her income.

She said: “There has been one other attack in the past two years and we really are at the end of our tether.

"I just want to make people aware of what their animals get up to when they are not looking after them – it really is heartbreaking for us.

“People need to stay responsible for their pets to stop this from happening again.”