A newborn lamb had its mouth stitched by a vet after crows swooped and pecked at its tongue.

The tiny animal in Sutton Valence, near Maidstone, was just minutes old when it was targeted by birds looking for their next meal.

Lizzie Offen managed to find the lamb at her New Barn Road farm and call in a vet to stitch its mouth up following the horrendous ordeal.

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Lizzie, 47, said: "This lamb was pretty lucky. When they are born they are at their most vulnerable.

"Crows go for their eyes and their navals and even their bottoms because they are the softest part of the body.

"They also peck their tongues out.

"This crow was obviously going for its tongue."

The lamb's 16-year-old mum also stepped in to save her baby before it met a similar fate to a number of other animals Lizzie has previously looked after.

She said: "Luckily the mum is fesity and saved the lamb because the crow would have killed it.

"I have previously had lambs that have died with their eyes pecked out and others with their tongues missing.

"I have also had a litter of piglets that died. It is a very horrible way for them to die."

The laws have recently changed following an order presented by Chris Packham in an attempt to protect crows from farmers and their guns.

However, Lizzie believes it is a topical subject that means farmers are struggling in their bid to keep their livestock safe.

She added: "When I found the lamb it was horrible but its tongue was intact.

"I made sure the lamb could see but the top of its mouth was missing. I rang the vet and they stitched it all together and I have been feeding it since.

"He has had a miserable first day as it had this happen to it and had anaesthetic. It has had its mouth stitched and injections but after two days it was skipping about again."

To find out more about Lizzie and her work visit Lake Farm Days on Facebook.

Escaped animals, unusual finds and news from the RSPCA can all be found here.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone