A THREE-DAY-OLD calf was brutally stabbed in the right eye and left for dead.

A THREE-DAY-OLD calf was stabbed in the right eye and left for dead.

The mindless attack happened on Tuesday night in a field on Bromholme Lane in Brampton.

The new-born was discovered dead by farmer’s son Matthew King as he went to check up on the herd at 10pm.

“It was horrific,” Matthew told The Hunts Post, “all the other cows were standing round in a group and I suddenly realised why.”

“The mother was moaning trying to get the calf to move away from me, but of course it was dead.”

“The screw driver was still lodged in its head so whoever did it must have run away.”

Farmer Basil King, who runs Rectory Farm said he was outraged by the attack, which was the second time a calf had been taken from the herd in the past seven weeks.

“It’s absolutely soul-destroying,” he said.

“If someone can do this to a defenceless animal it makes you wonder what else they’re capable of.”

Police were called to the farm at 10.10 pm and forensics removed the screwdriver from the calves head, although police said the mother had licked it, possibly removing potential fingerprints.

Investigating officer Simon Page said: “This was a shocking and despicable act and we would appeal to anyone with information or who witnessed what happened to contact us urgently.”

Four calves have been seized from the farm in as many years, and Mr King has put up a reward of �2000 for information leading to the capture of the people responsible.

Matthew added: “As we were waiting for the police to arrive a white van appeared in Bromholme Lane.

“We managed to corner it so it couldn’t get out of the lane until the police arrived.

“Two Eastern European men got out and they were speaking perfect English to us saying they were looking for a friend – but when the police turned up they pretended they couldn’t understand.”

Mr King believes that the men carried out the attack earlier in the night and were returning to collect the calf to eat.

INFORMATION: If you saw anything suspicious call the rural community action team on 0345 456 4564 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111