A 95-YEAR-OLD Herefordshire farmer has had six of his lambs killed after an out-of-control dog was running loose on his land.

Earnest Stephens, known as Ernie, has been a farmer his whole life, looking after cattle and sheep on his farm near Stoke Lacy, Bromyard.

His daughter Dorothy Stephens, 72, said no ewes were killed when the dog wreaked havoc in the fields overnight last Saturday, but six lambs died.

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She said her father is now worried it could happen again.

"It's upset the sheep, they won't come out of the one field, but they are starting to eat now alright," Miss Stephens, who farms nearby, said.

"It upsets them so, I just can't understand why he didn't hurt any ewes. He got into two different fields.

"There's a lot of sheep around Stoke Lacy and he could've gone on further, couldn't he?"

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Miss Stephens said the incident has been reported to West Mercia Police.

Sheep worrying and attacking a sheep illegal and dog owners are urged to keep their dogs on a lead while around livestock.

A farmer can legally shoot a dog that is chasing livestock and seek compensation from the person responsible for the animal.