Severed deer's head found in village with links to witchcraft

Police are investigating the latest in a series of animal killings in the New Forest - some of which have been linked to the occult.

A severed deer's head was found on a commemorative stone in Burley - the day before police received reports that five sheep had been brutally stabbed at Cadnam.

As reported in the Daily Echo, three of the sheep died as a result of their injuries but the other two survived.

Several other incidents involving mutilated animals have occurred in the Forest and neighbouring areas in the past few months.

Several sheep were stabbed at Bramshaw earlier this month. Three died but two survived (Image: Sarah Parry-Norton)

Two men were arrested and later released after the corpses of hares, a barn owl and a kestrel were found dumped outside Broughton Community Shop on March 15.

In February 25 dead animals including pheasants, hares and a decapitated deer were discovered near a primary school six miles away in Awbridge.

A previous spate of animal attacks occurred in the Forest five years ago.

Occult symbols were painted on a dead sheep and on the door of St Peter’s Church in Bramshaw, which is only three miles from Cadnam.

The sheep was found in Penn Common Road, Bramshaw, on November 19, 2019. It had a pentagram painted on its side and a star on its face, plus an inverted cross and the number 666, which is linked to the devil.

Occult symbols were daubed on St Peter's Church in Bramshaw in 2019 (Image: Newsquest)

The deer's head discovered at Burley was removed by retired police officer Chris White, who works in Shappen Stores.

He said: "A member of the public came into the shop and said there was a severed head with a hedonistic upside down cross. I put it somewhere in the Forest to let it rot and kept the cross for the police."

Burley was once the home of Sybil Leek, who was dubbed "Britain's most famous witch".

READ MORE: Broken pitchfork found beside dead ewe that had been stabbed eight times 

The head was placed on top of a stone unveiled by the local parish council to mark the new millennium in 2000.

PC Matthew Thelwell, of Hampshire Police, said: "We are investigating two incidents, the most recent of which was reported to us on May 9. This was a report of five sheep which had been stabbed in Cadnam.

“The previous incident was reported to us on May 8. On that occasion, a deer’s head was found next to Burley High Street.

“Officers have been in contact with the owner of the sheep, as well as the parish council.

“Officers have been completing follow-up inquiries, including house-to-house and CCTV scoping in the nearby area, as they attempt to identify the person(s) responsible."