DAUNSTEY farmer Robert Eustace is appealing for the owner of a shepherd dog worrying his sheep to come forward.

The dog, which has a black and golden coat that has been cropped, is allowed to run amok by his owner and has already killed two lambs and left several savaged, Mr Eustace said.

He added: "We lost the fist ewe last December and last weekend. The public rights of way on the farm are not used much. The dog is the only way these animals have been killed or injured.

"It is allowed to run around without its owner. I tried to catch it the other day but was not able to."

A lamb cost £50 and a ewe £80 so not only are the animals given a painful death and put under stress, but Mr Eustace had the financial cost to cope with.

Mr Eustace, who has a flock of 253 sheep, wants anybody who may know who the owner could be, or for the owners themselves to come forward.

"This will continue until the dog is caught. There is not a lot I can do and the police can't do anything until the dog is captured or the owner identified," he said.

Anybody with information should call Malmesbury Police on (01666) 822222.