Police have sent out a warning to dog owners after five lambs were killed on an East Lothian farm.

The attack on the animals, near the village of Garvald, was reported to officers on Tuesday morning.

Police are now reminding dog owners of their responsibilities when exercising their animals in the countryside.

A spokesperson said: "Chasing by dogs can do serious damage to livestock, even if the dog doesn't catch them.

"The stress of chasing/worrying by dogs can cause animals to die and pregnant stock to miscarry.

"Livestock fleeing from dogs are often killed or seriously injured by their panicked attempts to escape, often causing significant collateral damage to fences and field boundaries in the process.

"Also, dogs chasing ewes and lambs can cause them to separate with lambs dying from starvation or hypothermia if they fail to find the mothering ewe again."

Owners have been urged to avoid exercising their dogs near livestock and to keep them on a leash when near to farmland.

Dogs found in a field with sheep may be killed even if it has not attacked them, while owners can be fined up to £1000 for sheep worrying.