WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

POLICE are investigating and gates to footpaths have been shut after a spate of dog attacks on sheep at the Dyfi Ynyslas National Nature Reserve.

Natural Resources Wales, which manages the nature reserve at Ynyslas beach, announced the closure of a footpath which runs through a sheep grazing area on Christmas Day after a sheep carcass was found among sand dunes.

NRW confirmed it had strong reasons to suspect that this attack, which is believed to have occurred sometime between lunchtime on Wednesday, 23 December and early Christmas Day, and three similar attacks since October, were due to dogs and had taken the unusual steps to stop any further killing of sheep.

An NRW spokesperson said: “Unfortunately we are having to shut one of the footpaths on the Dyfi Ynyslas National Nature Reserve.

“This is due to a number of recent dog attacks to the livestock that are grazing in the dunes.

“These attacks have resulted in a number of sheep seriously injured and one killed.

“We regret having to do this, as this is one of the main access routes to the beach, and is enjoyed by many people.”

See next week’s south editions for the full story