FARMERS have been warned to be on alert after 79 sheep and lambs were stolen from two farms.

The first raid happened at a farm in the Feniscowles area of Blackburn, while the second happened on land in Hapton.

No arrests have been made in either incident.

Police are also urging dog walkers to keep their pet on leads in the countryside after a number of reported attacks on sheep in the last month.

A police spokesman said the incidents are not being treated as linked at this stage.

Police said the first incident saw 57 lambs were stolen from a farm in Stockclough Lane in Feniscowles some time between Christmas Eve and March 21.

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The lambs are all marked in red on right flank and all tagged with flock number 180911.

The second theft happened at a farm off Hameldon Road in Hapton between February 12 and February 19. In that incident 22 pure Beltex and Beltex cross sheep, all in lamb which are due in April onwards, and all marked with blue rumps were stolen.

Police have issued a witness appeal and urged anyone who saw any suspicious people or vehicles in the areas between the time periods mentioned to come forward.

Wildlife officer PC Nigel Keates said: “This is a despicable crime which puts the livelihoods of farmers at risk.

“Not only does it hit them financially but even if they replace the sheep they still lose generations of breeding.

“The sheep are also often kept in cramped conditions and subject to unnecessary suffering.

“We will endeavour to catch those individuals responsible and put them before the courts.”

Watch liaison officer Anthony Ford said: “Police have also received several reports from around East Lancashire of sheep and lambs being attacked by trespassers with dogs – usually at dusk or during hours of darkness.

“Please be vigilant in rural areas and report any suspicious activity to the police at once.

“If you have any information regarding the stolen sheep please call 101 and quote the relevant log reference number.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, quoting log reference LC-20170321-0760 for the Blackburn raid or LC-20170220-0364 for the incident in Hapton.