Shock of New Forest commoner Patrick Langdown after lamb is found dumped at Longcross Pond near Fritham with its throat slit, sparking fears of occult revival

A NEW Forest commoner has said he fears occult-style animal killings have returned to the area after one of his lambs was found dumped and with its throat slit.

Patrick Langdown, who has a flock at Bramshaw, was called by an agister after a member of the public made the grim discovery at Long Cross Pond, near Fritham, on Thursday.

He told the A&T he initially doubted the lamb was from his flock as the pond is around two miles away, but was left “very shocked” upon realising it was his.

He said: “We come from an industry which provides animals for meat but this was quite horrible.

“The ewe is walking up and down looking for her lamb.”

As reported in the A&T, Bramshaw has been plagued by sinister incidents over the past few years.

In January animal entrails – thought to include hearts – surrounded by a circle of 30 candles were arranged at the top of a trig point of Stagbury Hill.

In December 2022 the 12th century St Peter’s Church, on Judds Hill, was targeted twice, which the Rev David Bacon described as “upsetting.”

The first incident involved a dead cat hanging from a flagpole while the second saw a dead fox deliberately placed on the church doorstep.

In 2019 vandals sprayed the church walls with phallic and Satanic symbols.

Later that year police launched an investigation after sheep and cattle were found stabbed and sprayed with occult markings in the space of five days within a few miles of each other in the Bramshaw area.

Patrick said the animal would have suffered as it had not been stunned prior to its death. There were no markings on the body and no broken bones to indicate it had been hit by a vehicle.

Asked who might be behind the incident, he said it could be related to previous occult behaviour in the area.

He had been made aware of a recent incident in Beaulieu involving a dead lamb with a bible placed on it.

He added: “We [commoners] are all worried but there is nothing you can do, you can’t police them 24/7.”

Mr Langdown said he had given up trying to report the incident to Hampshire police after being left on hold for over and hour.

Chair of the Commoners Defence Association, Andrew Parry-Norton, called the attack “mindless” and said: “From a CDA point of view the attacks are horrific but it also create shockwaves throughout the commoning community.

“It is not only a financial loss but the emotional upset it causes. We all worry about our stock as it is, but this is mindless.”

He urged the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious incidents to the police.