Campaigners gathered in Bethersden to protest a lack of action over dead sheep found rotting in a field.

Animal rescue workers from Kent Animal Save and Sheep A'Hoy were called to a field near the village last month, where they discovered dozens of rotting sheep and their lambs - some of which had died whilst giving birth.

A spokesman for Kent Animal Save said: “The decomposing remains of some mother sheep were discovered alongside their orphaned lambs. Other animals had been left untended to for such a long period that all that remained of them were their skeletons.

"The rotting remains of sheep were even found in a watercourse, presenting a clear risk to wildlife and the environment.

“It is clear to any objective observer that the lack of action taken by the farm posed a considerable risk to animal welfare, the surrounding habitat and human health.”

The farmer of the animals on the field, who asked not to be named, said that only three sheep had died and was told by KCC Trading Standards that they needed to employ a specialist contractor to "carry out the removal and disposal of the carcasses".

However, last week animal rescue workers and members of the public returned to the field to protest after a "lack of action".

The Kent Animal Save spokesman continued: "We were there to highlight what is happening on this farm. The protest went really well, we had the support from the locals and received lots of support from the passing traffic too.

"We were shocked to discover that there were still rotting bodies and skeletons on the land. The bodies of the sheep are contaminating the waterways - water which the live sheep on the land drink.

"We have contacted Trading Standards and DEFRA again."

A KCC Trading Standards spokesman said: The investigation is ongoing.

"In circumstances where we receive a report of fallen stock and officers have carried out an inspection, it is usual to issue a notice requiring all animal by-product to be removed and correctly disposed of within a reasonable time frame."