A LARGE dog is being blamed for the killing of one sheep and the maiming of another in a North-East village.

A farmer found the carcass of a sheep at the end of last month, which had been dragged along a hedgerow and killed.

A week later another sheep was attacked and found the following day on a neighbour's land with serious injuries to its hind quarters.

The farmer, from Heighington, near Darlington, who keeps the sheep as pets, said both attacks happened between midnight and 7am on Friday morning.

She is concerned that some of her flock could lose their unborn lambs if the attacks continue.

The farmer, who does not want to be named, said: "It looks like a dog has picked one off the flock each time.

"With the first one, it had dragged it 200 yards. It was all in pieces. It was just horrible.

"The second one has been pounced on from behind, both its back legs have been injured but it survived and we found it a day later in a neighbours field."

Sergeant Eddy Bell, wildlife officer with Durham Police, said the attacks were undoubtedly carried out by a big dog.

"The way the first sheep was attacked and killed is a classic dog kill. This must have been a large dog, I would say a lurcher or deerhound type.

"It's probably someone out poaching deer whose dog has gone after sheep by accident."

PC Julian Brown, who is investigating the attacks, said: "This is two incidents of year-old sheep weighing about 45kg being attacked, and in one case killed, so it must be a pretty big dog.

"We really want anyone who knows whose dog it might be to contact us. The owner of the dog responsible must know their pet was involved because of the amount of blood there would have been.

"Sheep worrying is an offence and we can prosecute."

PC Brown would also like to hear from anyone else in the Heighington area who has experienced sheep worrying over the past six months.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on (01325) 467681.