A CORSHAM farmer has vented his frustration on Facebook after a husky dog attacked four therapy lambs and sent his flock of thirteen in shock on private land shared with Pickwick Lodge Farm.

Shephard Liam Worsley took to social media to complain after four of his lambs, used for animal assisted therapy and education in schools, were bitten by the dog, who had strayed a mile and a half away from his owner on the Guyers Lane farm on Friday afternoon.

"I got a phone call on Friday from the farmer to say he had noticed something worrying the sheep," the 29-year-old said. "He later chased a dog through the field, which is about a mile and a half away from the nearest footpath.

"The dog attacked four of our lambs and while they are recovering well, people don't realise that the biggest killer is actually shock."

Mr Worsley, who promotes the health and wellbeing of young people in the community with The Shepherds Gate, set up in 2015 with his friend Martyn Mackie, said they have done everything they can to protect their livestock.

He said: "We have put up signs and the sheep are in electric fencing most of the time so dogs will either have to jump over it or burrow deep enough to get under it but really, owners need to be switched on.

"Dog owners only need one piece of equipment to look after their dogs and it is astounding how many go out without a lead. You could have the best trained dog in the world but you cannot stop their natural instincts."

The duo, who also lost two lambs to a dog attack in Castle Coombe a few months ago, reported the incident to police but believe the attacks are on the rise around the country.

Mr Worsley added: "There's a website, which was set up recently, which documents sheep deaths across the country and last year there were 15,000 sheep deaths and so far this month 199 sheep have died, 65 have been injured and seven dogs have been killed and we are only 13 days into this month. It is becoming an issue all over the country."