A FARMER has hit out after 25 of his sheep were killed or injured in a ‘horrendous’ attack.

One Texel ewe was killed and 11 had to be put down following the ‘massacre’ on a six-acre field in Darwen.

Carol, 59, and Kevin Cochran, 58, who own the field at Higher Wenshead Farm and live with their daughter, Caroline, witnessed the end of the attack after they were alerted to it by four passers-by at around 9am on Sunday.

Kevin, who has farmed on the moorlands for 33 years, described the incident as traumatic and said: “The pain and suffering these sheep went through, being ripped to bits, is something nobody should have to witness.”

Police have been searching for the owners of the two Hungarian vizlas in the last 48 hours after just four of the family’s 29 sheep were left unharmed during the attack.

Caroline, 37, who returned to the Tockholes Road farm at around 10.15am after staying at a friend’s house overnight, described the attack as a horrific massacre and said: “The dogs really got hold of the sheep and ran them ragged for quite some time.”

The 37-year-old said one sheep had its throat ripped out, another had its stomach hanging out and others had bite marks on their legs.

Caroline said only one sheep had been killed by the two dogs but 11 had to be put down because their injuries were so severe. The other 13 have been stitched up and are recovering from shock.

Kevin and his wife were in the farmhouse around a quarter-of-a-mile away from where the incident took place.

His daughter, Caroline, said her parents were alerted to the attack by two dog walkers and two men walking on the moors and raced over to help the sheep.

Startled by the onrushing six people, the collarless vizlas ran off towards Darwen Tower before they disappeared out of sight, she added. Police and a vet, who stayed at the farm for five hours, were called out.

Friends of the family launched a public appeal today as they try to raise around £1,000 to help pay their vet bills and £4,000 to replace the dead sheep.

Detectives continue to search for the dogs owners. A police spokesman said: “Neither dog had a collar on and appeared to be a darker chestnut colour than a standard vizla.”

People can donate via https://www.gofundme.com/support-for-farmer-and-sheep-after-dog-attack