POACHERS who killed and butchered four rare-breed rams have made of with a large quantity of inedible meat.

All four animals had been treated with chemicals and their meat is not fit for human consumption, according to owner Angela Reid.

Mrs Reid, a part-time sheep farmer and part-time teacher of dyslexic children from Queenford Farm, in Dorchester, said: "These are huge animals - the biggest breed of British sheep - and that means there is a lot of contaminated meat out there.

"I wouldn't mind if the rustlers ate it - they deserve everything they get.

"But it could be passed on to innocent members of the public."

The chemicals were for worming and resistance to blowflies. Once treated, the meat is not fit for 56 days until the chemicals have passed out of the sheep.

The four Cotswold Lion rams had been treated only 30 days ago.

Their remains were found yesterday morning by 25-year-old shepherdess Hannah Collings, from Dorchester.

Mrs Reid said: "These were top-quality, pedigree, rare-breed rams and it will cost around £1,000 to replace them."