Police have issued a warning over the sale of suspicious meat following sheep thefts in Chaddesley Corbett. 

West Mercia Police are urging residents to report suspicious sales of meat after three sheep were taken over the bank holiday weekend. 

It is feared that the sheep might have been stolen to be illegally butchered for meat. 

Officers said the animals were on medication which would make their meat unfit for human consumption. 

PCSO Kate Easthope said: "We’re concerned that if the meat from these sheep has entered the food chain it could cause serious health issues for those who consume it.

"As always, for your safety we would only advise buying and consuming meat from reputable sources. 

"As well as being unsafe for consumers, illegal butchery is a serious offence which can cause unnecessary suffering to the animal. Rural crimes like this also have serious emotional and financial impact on our farming communities.

"We’ve launched an investigation into this incident and I would ask, as always, that people contact us if they think someone is selling illegal meat."

Anyone with information about the theft of the sheep, or who might have been offered meat for sale in the last few days which might be suspicious, should contact PSCO Kate Easthope on 07773046202 or via email at kate.easthope@westmercia.police.uk quoting incident number 453i of August 25.