VILLAGERS have been forced to chain up a two-acre community meadow following the mysterious disappearance of lambs.

Last year two lambs disappeared from the meadow next to Blackawton village hall which is also used for the village's annual International Worm Charming competitions.

The body of one was later found hidden under a pile of stones in a stream some 200 yards away while the other was never seen again.

Then police staked out the meadow amid fears someone was stealing the animals.

But last month another lamb went missing from the meadow and owners David and Elaine Tucker have again been forced to call in the police.

They have also got permission from the village allotments society to chain up the gates to the meadow while the sheep are grazing there until the mystery has been solved.

Elaine said of the lamb that was found in the stream: 'It could not have got there accidentally. By the size of the stones on it, they could not have fallen on it.

'We sent it away for an autopsy but because it had been in the water there was nothing to give any clues as to how it had died.

'The police said they thought it could be teenagers or something like that.

'People are wondering why these lambs have been taken and for what purpose.

'If it was teenagers what would they want the lambs for and what are they doing with them? It's very strange.'

Mr and Mrs Tucker live at Harris Cottages, Blackawton, and their sheep graze both the community meadow and the village churchyard – helping to keep the grass down while the couple maintain the hedges etc.

They are trying to build up a small flock of Jacob sheep and the one that was found dead in the stream was a pedigree ram.

The sheep first went missing last March and the dead lamb was discovered in the stream by local youngsters around a fortnight later.

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