A pregnant sheep found dead in a field is believed to have been killed by a human.

The ewe was discovered by a shepherd in a field off Betsham Road, Southfleet at around 7am yesterday.

It is believed to have been deliberately killed any time after 6.45pm the previous day.

On Friday it was reported that a lamb had been stolen from the same field, which is sited in a rural area outside Gravesend.

Officers from Kent Police’s Rural Task Force are investigating the circumstances and are satisfied the injuries the sheep sustained could not have been caused by another animal.

Sergeant Darren Walshaw, from the task force, said: "This is an extremely distressing incident for the people who reared the animal and, on top of this, has a significant impact on their livelihood.

"Farm animals can unfortunately be a target for poachers, which we believe is the case here, and we do not underestimate the impact this type of crime has on farmers.

"We take this type of crime seriously and if anyone travelling in this area witnessed anything suspicious on the night of 28/ 29 March I encourage them to call us on 01474 366149 quoting 46/55897/20.

"You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or using the anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org."

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