A COLLIE which killed sheep in a violent rampage at a North Cerney farm yesterday morning has been put down.

Shocked at witnessing the collie killing the sheep in a field at Hammerton farm on the A435, two passers by rushed to the scene and managed to stop the dog harming any more sheep until police arrived.

Mark, who was one of the witnesses, explained that he was driving to work with his friend when the pair saw the dog savagely attacking the sheep.

He said the two managed to stop the dog from attacking anymore sheep until the police arrived by shouting at it.

He said: “The dog was going mad.

“We thought we best starting doing something before it killed the rest. Something had gone wrong in its head. It was obviously just a working sheep dog before but this time it took it too far.

“We were just driving past on the way to work and my friend Garry saw an animal shaking a sheep in its mouth. We then realised it was a sheep dog.”

Garry explained that police told him the collie had just had a litter of pups and had been sleeping with them in a barn at the farm the night before it carried out its attack.

Police were able to contain the dog which was owned by the farm owner.

It is believed that the collie killed six sheep in its attack.

After discussions with the police, the farm owners decided to put the dog down.

Chris Jackson, a spokesman for Gloucestershire Police, said that the farm owners refused to comment on the incident.

He said: “We spoke to the farmer’s wife and she is not happy with giving a comment. They say it is no one else’s business what happened.”