A flock of sheep have had to be removed from a park after two dog attacks.

The sheep were part of the urban grazing scheme in Brighton and Hove and had taken up residence in Wild Park.

A council spokesman said: “There were two attacks at Wild Park on consecutive days – last Thursday and Friday.

“In the first a sheep was killed and in the second an animal was so badly injured it had to be put down.

“It is crucial people do not allow dogs to roam free where they could come into contact with sheep.

“If anyone has any information about a dog attacking sheep we’d ask them to contact the council’s countryside team.”

The sheep have been temporarily moved to Lewes and will remain there until their safety can be guaranteed.

They were installed on the ancient chalk grassland as part of the city’s grazing programme, designed to improve the open space for both wildlife and people.

The council claims grazing is better for the land than mowing as the grass is removed over several weeks allowing insects to move away and ensure structures like ant hills are not damaged.

Sheep also find some plants tastier than others, so grazing removes different plants at different rates, unlike mowing where everything is removed at once.

Grazing also ensures aggressive weeds such as nettles and brambles don’t take over and provides people with open spaces for quiet recreation, and exercise.

The scheme has attracted criticism though after a Freedom of Information request revealed last year the cost of maintaining the sheep amounted to more than £140,000 over the previous two years.

Costs included hiring the sheep, transporting the sheep and installing and repairing gates, fences and wiring.

Anyone witnessing a dog attacking a sheep should call the police on 101.