FLOCKS of moorland sheep could become a thing of the past in the North York Moors National Park unless there is a halt to the slaughter on the roads.

Farmers and tourist chiefs are appealing to motorists to take greater care to avoid ewes and their lambs as the breeding season gets into full swing.

Bill Breakell, the park's tourism and transport officer, said: "As many as 150 are being killed unnecessarily on the moorland roads each year.

"May and June are the worst months because the lambs have not yet developed their road sense."

Collisions often happen when lambs separated from their mothers run across the road to join them. One of the worst affected roads is at Blakey, which crosses the moor between Hutton-le-Hole and Castleton.

"The cruelty involved with these incidents is immense. Sheep are not always killed outright and may take hours to die in agony. Lambs are often left with broken legs and have to be destroyed."

Chris Barraclough, whose sheep graze alongside the Blakey road, said: "This situation has been going on for years and is just getting worse. It has come to the point where positive action must be taken if hefted flocks are to survive on the North York Moors. Accidents can be avoided by driving slowly where there are steep on roadsides," he said.

"Extra care and attention should be taken in areas with roadside bushes, which may be hiding a frightened sheep or lamb."