A TRAILER carrying livestock has overturned, leaving dozens of sheep dead at the roadside.

The vehicle, thought to be carrying more than 100 sheep, flipped over at the junction between the B2192 and New Road in Ringmer, near Lewes at about 1.30pm, with one witness saying as many as 40 sheep died.

The witness, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was "horrified" to see the dead sheep strewn across the field.

He said: "I was going to Ringmer and I saw a tractor and a trailer that had overturned.

The driver was standing and looking shocked.

There was a bit of argument about someone going too fast.

"There were about 130 ewes and lambs taken out alive and put in the field and around 40 dead. It looked like a lot to put in a trailer.

"The lambs looked quite young to me.

"When I left they had the trailer back up and there was a truck with a motor pulley to pull the dead bodies up and into a trailer.

"It was just a bit shocking really, I’m a vegetarian and an animal rights nut so I was horrified when I saw it. I was shocked there was so much in the trailer."

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said the B2192 was shut for short while but has now re-opened.

The tractor driver escaped unhurt.