"They had no chance": Woman, 60, fined £3,000 after her two 'totally out of control' dogs kill 15 sheep and have to be shot dead

Two 'totally out of control' dogs were shot dead after killing 15 sheep in a savage rampage, a court heard. Care assistant Ellie Blake, 60, was hauled into court after her two German pointers went berserk in a farmer's field in the Peak District.

The dogs were said to have 'worked together' as a team, in cornering and then fatally attacking the ewes and lambs. Blake had earlier lost sight of the dogs whilst walking through Pym Chair, Kettleshulme in Cheshire but minutes later other walkers looked on in horror as they systematically attacked the flock.

Farmer Graham Ford who owns the flock dashed to the scene following a call from a neighbour but then had to contact a colleague to shoot the hounds saying they looked 'fixated' with mauling as many sheep as possible.

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One of the rampant dogs ignored warning shots and both had to be killed to prevent further damage. Ten sheep including lambs and ewes were killed outright by the hounds, while a further five had to be put to sleep on account of their wounds.

Blake knew nothing of the horror until she went home without the two dogs and police subsequently arrived to speak to her. When quizzed she said she was 'shocked' at what happened and had never anticipated her dogs would behave in such a way.

She said both were professionally trained and there had never been any issues with them before. She agreed that it was right that the farmer shot them.

At Chester magistrates' court, Blake, of Raglan Road, Macclesfield, pleaded guilty to being the owner of two dogs worrying livestock and being owner of dogs dangerously out of control. She was fined £400, ordered to pay £460 in costs and a victim surcharge and £3,160.80 in