'Mass animal grave' found at farm

About 300 pigs were seized in the raid

A "mass grave" of more than 40 animals has been discovered on a County Down farm.

Hundreds of animals were found in squalid conditions, with many already dead and others had to be put down.

The USPCA and police raided the farm near Katesbridge after receiving a tip-off that animals were being kept in cruel conditions.

More than 300 pigs and cattle were found. The USPCA is going to court to seek an order to remove the animals.

The USPCA, said while the livestock was generally healthy, it was being kept in appalling conditions.

Some of the animals were standing in 8 ins of water at the premises at Ballyroney Road.

'Very difficult'

Stephen Philpott of the USPCA said: "The entire farm was heavily stocked, it was over-crowded, there were no welfare standards at all on the farm," he said.

"Unfortunately, on our first sweep through the farm our vet had to destroy animals and try and relieve suffering as best we could.

"We then had to try and thin out some of the animals and move them to other housing.

"We had to get emergency food and water and try and clean some of the buildings.

"That was very difficult to do. And then we discovered what we believed to be a mass grave."

The USPCA said it believed it knows the family responsible for the farm.

Several have convictions for animal cruelty and are banned from keeping livestock.

Inspectors spoke to a member of that family. He told them that while he fed the animals, he did not own them and he did not know who did.