A FLOCK of sheep on the Malvern Hills was released from its enclosure after the fence was knocked down, probably by mountain bikers.

The incident was discovered on Friday morning by one of the graziers on the hills just south of British Camp.

The fence had been knocked down in three places and the sheep had vanished.

Although the grazier later recovered the sheep unharmed, the Malvern Hills Trust is urging users of the fills to respect the fenced-off areas.

Beck Baker of the trust said: "Two sections of fence were broken, thought to be by mountain bikers using trails down the slopes of the Hill.

"As there are no bridleways in this section, there were no gates installed for access, so the riders are likely to have gone straight through the fence.

"We can't be 100 per cent sure, but the evidence strongly indicates that mountain bikes are responsible for the damage.

"In another section, the fence was broken where it is thought the sheep had been pushed through the fence, probably after being chased by a dog out of control.

"In the morning fog, the sheep were difficult to find and put back on the hill.

"The grazing of the hills is part of our efforts to preserve the landscape of the hills and the ancient monument of British Camp.

"Thank you to all those who are responsible when visiting the hills and commons. Let's help keep this shared landscape a special place that we can all enjoy."

Hills users can check where stock is being grazed on the Malvern Hills Trust website and in the Malvern Gazette each week.