FLOCKS of sheep have been slaughtered by two deadly dogs after they went on the rampage in a Vale village.

Twenty-three sheep belonging to two Wickhamford farmers were killed in the attack, leaving them devastated by the loss.

The culprits are thought to be two Rottweiler dogs that were later discovered in a shed alongside some dead sheep.

One of them was shot but the other is believed to still be on the loose.

The first attack happened before 1pm on Sunday and was discovered by horse rider.

Sarah Bent was one of the riders and alerted owner Roger Green, who lives in a nearby caravan.

He lost a total of ten sheep.

"He had heard dogs but hadn’t recognised during the rough night of Saturday the gravity of the situation," said Mrs Bent, who then contacted nearby farmers to ensure their sheep were not in jeopardy following what she described as "carnage".

"The fleece of many sheep lay strewn across the field and several other sheep were badly injured needing veterinary assistance. The others remained huddled together very nervously."

The neighbouring farmers then scoured the area but on approaching a wooded area heard some "very menacing growling".

Mrs Bent added: "He shouted to his wife, 'run for your life' fearing the worse."

On Monday morning another sheep owner, Stuart Nightingale, of Nightingale Orchards, Longdon Hill, also Wickhamford, found 13 of his ewes, which were all in lamb, dead in a brook.

Mr Nightingale, who had 36 ewes in the field, was "absolutely devastated".

"The dogs had driven a lot of the sheep into the brook and 13 were dead," he said. "Another was running about in the field with half its face and an ear missing and bleeding badly so I doubt very much if it will survive.

"I got into the water and pulled four of them out but it was so cold in there I had to get out."

It was while he was in the field that Mr Nightingale was approached by a neighbour who said he had seen the dogs attacking the sheep and had taken his shot gun to them.

"One of the dogs was shot dead but the other was only injured and ran off," he said. "It really is heart-breaking when something like this happens."

It is thought the dead dog belonged to a home owner in a Vale village.

West Mercia Police said they were investigating the incident.