A teenage boy has been arrested after 14 lambs were killed by a car which was driven into a farmer’s field and rammed into them.
Surrey Police launched an urgent investigation after a car was allegedly used to mow down and kill 14 young lambs in a field in Bramley, near Guildford.
Farmer Nick Hutley says he awoke on Thursday morning to devastating news that someone has allegedly rammed down his young sheep – worth around £2,000 each – having broken down several gates to enter overnight.
A 15-year-old from Redhill was arrested on suspicion of two counts of criminal damage. He has since been released on bail, pending further investigation, police said.
Mr Hutley, whose family has owned Gate Street Farm on the Wintershall Estate for more than half a century, previously described the incident as ‘simply crazy’.
Nick Hutley awoke on Thursday morning to discover that his sheep had been driven at and killed
Mr Hutley said he was in a ‘state of shock’ when he saw the group of dead lambs
A total of 12 lambs were found dead in the field, which held around 50 sheep, with another two later put down due to their injuries, Mr Hutley said.
Describing the moments when he first saw his livestock lying open-eyed on their sides, Mr Hutley said: ‘It was a state of shock.
‘My first reaction was that there must be some sort of dreadful disease, then reality sets in – there’s not a disease that could have killed 14 healthy sheep like this.
‘As I approached them I thought maybe they’d been shot or attacked by a dog – then I saw the tyre tracks and realised somebody had driven over them.’
Car parts including part of a bumper were found in the field alongside the strewn bodies of the lambs.
Surrey Police are still investigating the exact circumstances of what happened.
The force previously appealed for any information on the incident, including any dashcam footage and sightings of damaged vehicles, to come forward.
Waverley Neighbourhood Sergeant Phil Bayman insisted Surrey Police were treating the matter with the utmost seriousness.
The farmer said nothing this horrific had occurred at Gate Street Farm in Bramley, near Guildford, in the more than half a century his family has owned it
Car parts including part of a bumper were found in the field alongside the strewn bodies of the lambs
‘This incident is extremely unusual, and we appreciate that it will have caused considerable distress to the owner of the farm and within the wider community,’ Sgt Bayman said.
‘We would like to reassure you that we are taking this seriously and doing everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.
‘We are asking anyone with any information, including anyone who witnessed the incident, or with any other information, particularly anyone who may have seen a damaged vehicle in the area around the time of the offence, to come forward as soon as possible.
‘We are also looking for any dashcam or CCTV footage which may help our investigation.’