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A suspected dog attack in a field killed 16 sheep and left 28 more so badly injured they had to be put down.

The incident near East Bergholt, between Ipswich and Colchester, is thought to have happened between Sunday lunchtime and Monday morning.

Suffolk Police said it was "strongly suspected" that dogs off their leads were responsible.

Sgt Brian Calver described it as "by far the worst case of an attack of sheep" he had ever seen.

He said: "The suffering the animals must have gone through would have been terrible."

'Awful'

Sgt Calver said dog owners needed to be responsible for their pets and warned allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control was an offence.

The discovery at Whitehorse Marsh in the Dazeley's Lane area was made by landowner Rupert Ely.

He said: "It was a 20-acre field with 80 sheep on it and there were just dead sheep in all corners of of it. To see it all just destroyed in one fell swoop was awful."

Police have appealed for anyone with information about the incident to come forward.