A loose dog which attacked and killed four ewes has left one Derbyshire farmer having to foot the cost of the crime, amounting to almost £2000.

Between April 15 and 16, the farmer found that four of his ewes had been killed by a dog on his land at Hardy Barn Lane, Buxton.

Speaking about the incident, Derbyshire Rural Crime Team said the dead ewes cost around £1200 plus £40 each for disposal.

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The ewes had six lambs between them, one of which has now also died and the others are having to be hand reared on milk formula at a cost of £50 per week per lamb.

The incident has led to a total of almost £2000 damages to this farmer, not considering his time and potential future earnings.

Derbyshire Rural Crime Team said: "The impact of livestock worrying offences cannot be under estimated, with significant financial losses along the stress and upset caused to farmers and their families.

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"The area is popular for visitors and dog walkers and particularly popular with private dog walking companies operating in the Buxton area."

Dog attacks on sheep continue to plight farmers across the UK, impacting both animal welfare and farmers' mental wellbeing.

According to the National Sheep Association, 78% of rural crime police teams have reported an increase in dog attacks on sheep over recent years.

The majority (76%) of the forces reported that they respond to dog incidents at least once a month, with 33% of them dealing with incidents on a weekly basis.

And just over half of the forces contributing to the survey (57%) stated that sheep worrying by dogs was their most frequently reported rural crime.