Protesters at Ramsgate with placards against live exports

A bleeding ram with a horn hanging off was put down yesterday - just days after live exports restarted from Ramsgate.

The badly-injured ram had to be shot on board the Joline after RSPCA inspectors spotted the bleeding animal on one of five lorries loading exports onto a ship yesterday morning.

It comes after a temporary ban on live animal exports from the port was lifted last Friday, as a judicial review into the practice is planned.

The temporary suspension followed the death of 45 sheep.

Dubbed a "disgusting massacre", the deaths on September 12 prompted the agriculture minister to promise a full investigation.

Two French lorry drivers were arrested after a lorry was declared unfit to travel across the Channel.

Two sheep, one with a broken leg, were put down. Another 41 sheep were shot as a vet found them to be severely lame.

Speaking about the latest incident, RSPCA chief inspector Steve Dockery said: "This was a glaring example of how problems can arise and even with a short window of opportunity to look at these animals, we found this suffering sheep.

"The facilities here are simply not suitable for dealing with these kinds of problems."

Inspectors were said to have had less than 30 minutes to check the welfare of the cargo and check exporters were complying with the rules as the lorries were delayed.