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Sevenoaks estate owner says snow sledgers are endangering her sheep

Sledgers have been out having fun on the snow-covered slopes of the St Clere Estate at Kemsing near Sevenoaks.

But the result is that two sheep may have died.

Farmers' anger as vehicles destroy their land

The estate's managing trustee Eliza Ecclestone said that fun-seekers had cut fences in two places to gain access.

Those on sledges were quickly followed by two quad bike riders and two 4x4 vehicles.

The estate's neighbours said they had seen two dead sheep on Friday, although Mrs Ecclestone has so far not been able to confirm that because of further snowfalls.

Sevenoaks has had some of the heaviest snow over the weekend.

Eliza Ecclestone
Eliza Ecclestone
Sledgers at the St Clare estate
Sledgers at the St Clare estate

Mrs Ecclestone said that deciding whether to allow sledgers on to the farm was a real dilemma.

If she permitted it, she would have the liability for anything that went wrong. But trying to stop it resulted in damaged fences and costly repairs.

The estate's sheep are heavily pregnant at present and she said the stress of the sledging and quad bikes could lead to them abort their young.

With more snow forecast, she said she was at a loss to know how to stop it happening again.

Read more: All the latest news from Sevenoaks

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