POLICE say a big cat is likely to be responsible for the slaughter of five sheep at a Monmouthshire farm on Saturday.

Nine sheep were attacked at Ton Uchaf Farm, Llanfapley, on Saturday evening, and the carnage was discovered by an off-duty policeman, Tom Andrews, and his wife at 8pm.

Farmer Colin Thompsett said: "It was mayhem in the field with one sheep dead with its leg torn off and flesh missing, three which had to be shot immediately, and five more severely injured, one of which has since died.

"Another two of the flock of 37 ewe lambs have been carried off completely, which is an indication of an attack by wild cats.

"There is an electric fence around the field, so they could not have escaped.

"Tom Andrews told me he saw something grey and streaky going across the field."

Mr Thompsett said he was contacting Monmouth AM David Davies to ask if Defra (Department of the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs) could hold organised shoots to prevent the threat of big cats attacking people.

PC Steve Hill, the policeman investigating the incident, said: "No-one has seen a big cat, but from the injuries that were caused it seems likely to have been one that attacked these sheep.

"I was briefed by a Defra vet when I investigated a big cat attack in the Usk area eight months ago, and he said clean-cut injuries were more likely to be from a big cat than a dog."

Mr Thompsett said he had contacted other farmers nearby, and had spoken to two who had both claimed to have sighted big cats roaming the area.