'Significant number' of sheep die in Shropshire lorry crash

Hundreds of sheep were left strewn across a Shropshire road after a livestock lorry overturned, killing what police described as a “significant number” of animals.

A major rescue and recovery operation was launched on the A489 near Bishop’s Castle after the vehicle carrying around 450 sheep crashed onto its side at about 2.45pm on Tuesday.

The collision left the driver trapped inside the cab while livestock spilled from the overturned trailer onto the roadside.

Fire crews, police, ambulance teams, vets and local farmers worked for hours at the scene to rescue surviving animals and recover livestock from the wreckage.

West Mercia Police confirmed that while many sheep were saved, a large number died in the incident.

The scale of the crash prompted a major multi-agency response involving fire crews from Bishop’s Castle, Clun and Wellington alongside specialist rescue teams from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Emergency crews freed the trapped driver before handing him over to paramedics and the Midlands Air Ambulance team.

After being assessed at the scene, he was taken to hospital for precautionary checks.

Local farmers joined veterinary teams in efforts to secure and care for surviving livestock as recovery operations continued beside the overturned lorry.

The A489 remained closed for several hours while crews worked to clear the road and deal with the aftermath of the crash.

In a statement shared on social media, Bishop’s Castle and Clun Police praised those involved in the response.

A spokesperson said: “We would like to thank everyone who assisted at the scene for their professionalism and teamwork.”

The cause of the collision has not yet been confirmed.