United Kingdom-Dogs worrying and attacking sheep.

A FARMER has hit out at dog owners who don’t leash their animals, after one of his sheep suffered horrific facial injuries when it was mauled by a Staffordshire bull terrier.

Christopher Martin had to fight off the out-of-control dog after it grabbed a two-year-old ewe on land at West High House Farm, to the West of Morpeth, on Monday evening.

He managed to free the sheep from its jaws, but the dog .

Mr Martin said: "I’ve never seen anything like it. I was left covered in blood.

"The dog was off the leash and came under the fence from the woods, where there are public footpaths and a lot of people walk their dogs.

"It latched on to the sheep’s face and it wouldn’t let go. I tried to fight the dog off, but it kept holding on. I managed to get it away, but it came back and attacked again."

The dog was finally called off, but the sheep was left in a pitiful state. It is not yet known whether it will make a full recovery, but is being treated with antibiotics.

The Police were contacted.

Mr Martin added: "This is what can happen when people let their dogs off the leash near livestock. Don’t do it."

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said: "We received a report of a dog worrying sheep in the Mitford area at around 9.45pm on Monday.

"Our inquiries are continuing."