DON'T SEND OUR LAMB MARCUS TO SLAUGHTER; Pupil trauma at butcher plan.

Byline: EUAN STRETCH

FURIOUS parents are planning to confront their children's headmistress today to get the school pet saved from slaughter.

Dozens of youngsters were left in tears after they discovered that a loveable ram they had helped rear called Marcus was for the chop.

The pupils had returned to Lydd Primary in Romney Marsh, Kent, after the holidays to see posters advertising a raffle for two freezer packs of lamb.

Soon they discovered it was slices of Marcus that would fill the bags.

The children had loved feeding and caring for Marcus, and two lambs named Rosie and Buttons, and were devastated.

Adele Grant, 40, said her daughter Liberty now has trouble sleeping and is distressed on the eve of her 11-plus.

She added: "It's disgusting and barbaric. Children have been traumatised.

"All 10 and 11-year-olds were told in detail how he'd die and were shown where he would be cut up. They can still hear Marcus bleat in his pen."

Jo Davis, 33, right, said: "My daughter was so upset she went to the headmistress.

Megan has been sobbing and can't sleep. Teachers even nicknamed Marcus 'market' ... pretty poor taste." Head Andrea Charman insisted the decision to slaughter Marcus had been taken by some of the children.

And on TV last night she said: "Many children don't realise animals they pass every week end up on their plate. And one of our sheep is a neutered male. His purpose is meat."

However one parent said they had offered to buy Marcus off the school but had been snubbed. And last night it emerged that Lydd airport and Lydd Golf club offered to buy the sheep, but were turned away.

CAPTION(S):

'POOR TASTE' Jo Davis BEST BAA NONE Popular Marcus the ram