An SOS call has gone out across Ryedale and the North York Moors: Save Our Sheep.

Spring has heralded in the lambing season - and more sheep and lambs than ever are in fields and straying onto roads.

Motorists driving in the countryside are being urged to cut their speed because of the danger of hitting stray animals.

Ron Foster, a sheep farmer at Rosedale Abbey, near Kirkbymoorside, said: "The so-called road improvements have made the roads so much faster and animals just don't have time to get out of the way.

"We are now entering the period when there are a lot of young lambs and they have no road sense whatsoever. They are very vulnerable.

"Anything that can be done to get people to pay more care when they are driving must be a good thing."

He added: "When you drive over the moors in summer you see sheep carcasses at the side of the road as evidence of the problem."

Beverley Wilson, National Farmers' Union policy advisor for the north east region, said: "This is very much a general problem. Together with dogs worrying sheep, it is the biggest problem sheep farmers have at this time of year.

"Drivers must slow down and be aware of the situation. They must realise they are sharing these areas with farmers and their livestock. With the industry in the state it is in, farmers can't afford to lose even one sheep.

"Obviously, most casualties come from unfenced areas, but putting up fencing is very expensive."

The North York Moors National Park Authority says each year more than 200 lambs and adult sheep are killed on moorland roads in the national park.

In an effort to reduce these numbers, it is putting up temporary signs urging drivers to reduce their speed during the lambing season.

Bill Breakell, tourism and transport officer for the national park, said: "In the past, people have been seriously injured and even killed following collisions with the ewes and lambs on our moorland roads.

"The message is to travel at no more than 40 mph to avoid needlessly killing livestock, personal injury and major damage to the car itself."

David Brewster, head of park services at the national park, said: "The ranger service at the national park does everything that it can to advise motorists about the risks at this time of year.

"Sheep deaths on our unfenced moorland roads are a significant loss to the farming community and the national park wants to see this needless toll reduced.

"Much depends on the car drivers themselves, many animal deaths could be avoided if everybody slowed down a little."

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