Members of the public are being warned not to feed animals while out in the countryside after a ewe, which was given a satsuma, died.

Police received a report from a farmer whereby an unknown person/people fed sheep and goats in a field various fruit.

This caused the death of a 'fit and strong' two-year-old ewe which had choked to death on a satsuma. The death of this ewe has also affected the two young lambs, which are now orphaned.

Dorset Police Rural Crime Team is reminding everybody using the outdoors to refrain from feeding any animal that isn’t your own whilst you are out using the countryside.

You should not feed any livestock, this includes sheep, cows, horses, pigs and goats.

Animals are often on special diets to manage the animals health. This also includes the feeding of grass clipping and garden clippings from trees and shrubs which can ferment and kill animals that consume them.

You should also remember to clean up after your dog while walking in the countryside. Dog poo can contain a parasite. When ingested by cows it can cause them to abort or infect their calves and it can be fatal to sheep.

Feeding kitchen waste to farm animals is illegal and this is in place to stop the spread of disease.