A farmer says that the dogs who mauled two of her sheep would have been "dripping in blood" so their owner would be aware that something had happened.

Juliet Fenton of Silcocks Farm, St Michael's, Tenterden, says two of her sheep were attacked overnight but managed to survive the mauling.

She said: "My farm manager says he thinks the sheep were cornered by two dogs. They must have been terrified and would have not been able to move out of fear."

The sheep had huge lacerations to their head and tails.

"It happened about 20 yards from our house last night but we back onto a field that falls away very sharply down to a wooded area so we didn't hear anything."

Farm manager Barnaby Loades said: "The two sheep that were attacked were both put down by the vet as they were probably not going to survive and were in significant pain."

Mrs Fenton said: "Dogs cannot just be let out at night and many people come to the countryside but they don't understand it. When a couple of dogs get together near sheep they get a bloodlust and they think it's a game."

She added that she would like to find the owner responsible for the dogs and said: "The dogs that attacked the sheep would have been dripping in blood so someone must know if it was their dog."