A SNIPER has been taking pot shots at pigs on farms in South Lakeland.

Fifteen rare Gloucester Old Spot pigs at Templand Farm, Allithwaite, near have been found peppered with air gun pellets.

But police believe the shooting incidents may be more widespread – and farmers and pet owners are being urged to examine their animals and pets for wounds.

The lead pellets almost entered the food chain before being found in meat supplied to Stuart Higginson’s butcher’s shop at Grange-over-Sands.

“As well as it being an animal cruelty issue, it's also a serious food safety concern,” said Mr Hig-ginson.

“If it hadn't been for the expertise of our butchers, these lead pellets could have potentially ended up in any one of a number of our pork products."

PC Colin Morris, the police officer investigating the shootings, described the incident at Allithwaite as a ‘grotesque’ act of animal cruelty.

Farmer Brian Jackson believes that the shootings have been going on for some time as skin has started to grow back round the wounds of some of the animals.

It has left some pigs with lumps and scarring.

And he believes that more pigs could have been shot as the injuries only came to light as some of the animals were taken for slaughter.

“It’s animal cruelty,” said Mr Jackson. “It causes pain and distress to these pigs and it has to stop.”

“It clearly happens on a regular basis. It could well be a serial attacker.

"It’s in someone’s routine. They have shot starlings as well and God knows what else, cats and dogs?.

"They seem to have an obsession with shooting so who knows if they will stick to animals.”

“Somebody, probably a local in the area, is going out and committing this grotesque act,” said Grange policeman PC Colin Morris.

“There is a risk that they could take a pot shot at anything.”

“We have suspects - people who own air guns in the area. Air weapons tend to be used by younger people.”

The Mayor of Grange Town Council, Coun Jane Strawbridge said: “It’s absolutely shocking to think anybody from any area could do this.

"To violate an animal in this way is dreadful.”

By law anybody aged under 16 has to have an adult present when using an air gun.

"It is a criminal offence to shoot an air gun in public or on privately-owned land without prior permission.

A spokeswoman from Barrow’s Animal Welfare charity said: “It’s not a game, these are feeling animals.

“You know yourself if you are hit by a gun, it hurts - some kids’ eyes have been taken out with it.

"Pigs are just the same.

“It distresses them and the farmers and no one should do it as a past time or anything else.”

Mr Jackson asked all local residents to be vigilant in watching out for the offender.

A spokesman for the RSPCA said that the matter would be investigated by a local controller.

A Food Standards Agency spokesman said that the European Commission has set maximum levels for the presence of lead in foodstuffs, including meat, to protect public health from the metal’s harmful neurotoxic effect.”