A SKIPTON woman is calling for witnesses to a savage attack on two of her family's pet lambs.

Susanne Tiffany was shocked to find her five-month-old ewe dead on Monday evening when she went to check on her four pedigree Shetland lambs kept in a field at the top of Shortbank Road.

Another lamb was severely injured in an attack which appears to have been carried out by a large dog.

The lambs were each owned by one of Miss Tiffany's children and she said they were distraught by the news.

"A local vet has inspected the dead lamb, and the injured one, and confirmed the wounds were caused by a large dog, not a fox," Miss Tiffany said.

A neighbouring farmer told her that he had seen the lambs alive at lunchtime on Monday and therefore the attack must have taken place between then and when the animals were discovered in the early evening.

"The incident must have taken place at a busy time of day when people walk their dogs up the Roman Road before it gets dark.

"There are always walkers, trail bike riders and children playing in the area. Somebody must have seen a loose dog or heard someone calling for a dog that had run off," Miss Tiffany said.

"I would ask anybody who heard or saw anything between 12 and 7.30pm to come forward with the information. A dog like this is a menace and now it has a taste for the chase and killing, it may strike again.

"It may not be sheep next time - it might attack somebody else's dog, or God forbid, a child," she added. "We may still lose the injured lamb, Toffee, due to her wounds and severe shock."

The three remaining lambs are now locked away to recover from their ordeal. "I dread turning them back out whilst this dog is still at large."

The police have been informed of the incident and anyone with information should contact them on 01756 793377.