POLICE are reminding dog owners to keep control of their pets when walking in the countryside, following an incident of sheep worrying in a Chester village farm.

The Cheshire Police Rural Crime Team reported an update on Christmas Eve regarding a recent incident near Tarvin.

Officers say a pet dog had been worrying sheep.

The team said: "At this time, thankfully, the animals appear uninjured but none the less the circumstances still make out the offence. Additionally sheep are in lamb at this time and harm may only become apparent in the coming months.

"The dog owner has been traced following a number of enquiries and witness accounts. There is for now an undertaking to control the dog appropriately #countrysidecode .

"Most dog owners appreciate that our pets, despite our best efforts at training will be at times unpredictable and seek at the very least to embarrass us.

"As such I would urge all dog owners to ensure that if they choose to walk through or near a field where there are livestock or cattle, the dog is kept on a lead at all times.

"The consequences of these incidents go far beyond mere embarrassment and can have very considerable impact on animal welfare and livelihoods."