'Worst thing I could ever imagine': Farmer reveals 13 lambs' necks 'deliberately broken'

A PSNI investigation is underway after the necks of 13 lambs were "deliberately broken" in Co. Down. 

Kevin McGivern and his brother went to feed their sheep on Saturday morning only to discover that a number of their lambs had been purposefully slaughtered. 

As they approached the field, they knew instantly that something was not right. 

"It was carnage up that field... I could see grey crows and huge seagulls," Kevin explained.

As they got closer, they could see the dead lambs at the top of a hill in the field. 

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"It was the worst thing I could ever have imagined," Kevin said. 

The scene caused the other sheep to become distressed, particularly the mother ewes.

Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Jarlath Tinnelly, an Independent member of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, said that he visited the farm over the weekend. 

He said that the "callous and cowardly attack" happened at some stage between Friday night and Saturday morning.

He also noted that an attack of this nature has never been seen before in the village and is "very unheard of." 

Cllr. Tinnelly highlighted how there will be a knock-on effect for the mother sheep as they have udders full of milk but no lambs to feed. 

Mastitis is a possibility for those ewes, so Kevin and his brother are hoping to source some orphaned or foster lambs to help.

The PSNI investigation is underway and anyone with information is asked to get in touch.