Man injured wrestling Derbyshire ram calls it 'public nuisance'

The sheep has reportedly broken a man's hand

A rampant ram, which has allegedly injured several ramblers, is a "public nuisance", says one of its victims.

David Evans said he wrestled the sheep for 10 minutes after it charged at him last month, injuring his thumb.

He said another man has had to have a metal plate in his hand after being rammed in the same field in Kirk Ireton, Derbyshire.

The BBC has tried to contact the owner of the field, which has a public footpath through it, for comment.

David Evans wrestled for 10 minutes with the ram in a field in Kirk Ireton, Derbyshire

Mr Evans said he feared the ram could kill a child.

"I crossed the stile at the bottom of the field and walked up and this ram appeared alongside me, quite friendly I thought," he said.

"I looked down and it herded me across the field so I pushed it away, it backed off and just charged.

"[It had a] massive pair of horns, I grabbed its horns and wrestled with it for a bit, put it down and it still came at me again."

He said he suffered cuts to his hands, one of which has gone septic.

The parish council wants the ram moved to a field without a public right of way

Another man was attacked the next day, breaking his hand in three places, he said.

"He had an operation a week later and had a steel plate put in and he's a builder so he's off work at the moment."

What are the rules over dangerous livestock?

Farmers who keep animals in fields crossed by public rights of way can be liable to civil and/or criminal proceedings if members of the public are injured by their livestock.

Farmers who are aware that particular livestock are likely to be upset by people walking in their field, or are likely to behave aggressively towards people, should consider moving the animal in a field without public access.

Source: NFU

Kath Stevens, from Kirk Ireton Parish Council, said the authority had written to the farmer asking them to move the animal after several reports of rammings.

"I'm afraid children will use that footpath, they wouldn't stand a chance with it. I want it made safe for people to walk together."