Frankley farmer fears animals killed for black market meat

Farmer Liz Clarke said discovering two of her calves had been killed was "a horrible thing to find"

Two calves were killed by thieves trying to sell their meat on the black market, a farmer has claimed.

Liz Clarke, from Frankley in Worcestershire, discovered two of her herd had died on 12 September.

Offenders were on the farm for some time but interrupted before they could take the animals away, West Mercia Police believes.

The cost of agricultural theft was up 30% in the Midlands last year, insurer NFU Mutual said.

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Ms Clarke said: "At first you sort of think 'oh, have they eaten something?' Is there something that they've damaged themselves on?'

"But then on investigation we realised that something had obviously taken place that was a lot more worrying and they'd actually been killed, which is very upsetting.

"I would imagine that they were after the meat... I hope it doesn't happen again, because it's a horrible thing to find."

Police believe thieves were on the farm for some time but disturbed before they could take the animals

West Mercia Police is still investigating and stressed the danger of buying meat where its origins are unclear.

Insp Tom Clayton said: "If meat isn't processed properly then it hasn't got the same checks and balances, the same quality controls that properly produced meat would have.

"[That's] not to scare people, but if you don't know what you're buying is properly quality stamped, then you don't know the risks."