A dog owner is facing prosecution over an incident in which three sheep were killed in Stirlingshire.

The 35-year-old from Fallin was reported to the procurator fiscal after two dogs killed three sheep and injured seven others in Bannockburn on March 7.

Central Scotland Police have urged owners to keep their animals on a lead following a spate of incidents during the lambing season.

Another sheep was killed in the Drymen area on February 29 and further incidents have been recorded in Blanefield, Slamannan, Dollar and Killearn since the beginning of March.

A 53-year-old woman has also been reported to the fiscal after her dog chased a number of sheep in the Drymen area.

PC Paul Barr, officer for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, said: "This is currently the lambing season and dog owners should take all steps to prevent their animals from escaping when near to livestock.

"If dogs are being walked in areas with livestock they should be kept under close control, preferably on a lead.

"Farmers are entitled to shoot a dog if there is no other way to prevent livestock from being injured. Although the term 'sheep worrying' is used, the reality is that the sheep are chased to exhaustion and then eaten to death by a dog or dogs.

"This must be an excruciating death for the animal and causes a great deal of distress for farmers as well as a financial loss."