A FARMING family in Bromsgrove have spoken of their horror after a calf and a ewe were slaughtered and skinned by burglars, in order to harvest their meat.

Police are appealing for information on the “sickening” incident, which took place sometime between 9pm on February 11, and 8am on February 13 on Redhill Lane.

Burglars broke into a barn and killed a calf, while a ewe owned by family-run Lizzie’s Farm, which sits adjacent to it, was dragged across a 20 acre field and also killed in the barn.

Farmer John Monk, 71, of Lizzie’s Farm, said: “You could see where they dragged the sheep through the brambles.

"To get that calf out of that barn they would have had to have taken it from its mother and it would have taken two or three men to do that.

“By just taking two they would have taken the meat for themselves. They were skinned so they knew what they were doing.”

Wife Val, 66, said the incident “frightens you to be in your own home”.

Mr Monk, who has lived at the farm for 48 years, said incidents of animals being killed or taken were “uncommon” but have started increasing in the past five years.

He added: “It is upsetting to know that people have been around and got into one of the buildings.

“There is also the stress that it would have caused the animals and you wonder how they have killed them.”

Since news of the incident broke, the Bromsgrove community and customers to Lizzie’s Farm have rallied to their support.

Daughter Liz, 43, said: “People know that we love our animals and people know them by name.

“A lot of customers have heard what has happened and we have had people send flowers and cards. We have been touched by the support from the community.”

The family believe the burglars scouted the farm in the day before coming back overnight.

CCTV cameras were also smashed.

A police spokesman added: "This was a sickening incident that would have undoubtedly caused a lot of suffering to the two animals.

“It is likely the animals have been killed for their meat.

"I'm keen to speak to anyone with information or CCTV, or who saw anything suspicious in the area.

“Please contact us, what may seem insignificant could fit into a bigger picture.”

Call 101 quoting incident 130s of February 13.