Lamb saved after savage attack by three dogs

The lamb suffered deep bite marks to its neck and North Yorkshire Police revealed yesterday that the animal's life had been saved by a passing member of the public who administered first aid.

The attack happened in a field on the North Yorkshire border with West Yorkshire at about 8pm on Monday, when three men allowed two lurcher-type dogs and what appeared to be a gingery-coloured Staffordshire bull terrier to attack the lamb.

The men were then seen walking off from the scene of the attack, near Cut Road and Fairburn Ings, over the West Yorkshire border and across the three-arch bridge in the direction of Castleford.

Pc Tony Robertson, of the Tadcaster safer neighbourhood team, said: "This was a shocking and callous attack on a defenceless animal. What makes it worse is that the men with the dogs were heard laughing as they casually walked away from the injured lamb.

"This nasty incident has had a significant impact on the local farming community.

"I urge anyone with information that could help to identity the individuals involved to contact the police or Crimestoppers immediately."

The attack is the latest in a series of offences which have seen sheep and lambs mauled by dogs in North Yorkshire.

One attack which happened two years ago saw four lambs savaged by a dog and they were found with their throats bitten through on the North York Moors close to Hutton-le-Hole.

After the attack, dog walkers were warned by the North York Moors National Park Authority that any pets chasing sheep can be legally shot dead.