DON'T SEND SCHOOL LAMB TO SLAUGHTER; Pupils tears at butcher plan.

Byline: EWE-N STRETCH

FURIOUS parents say they will confront their children's headmistress today to save a school lamb from slaughter.

Dozens of youngsters were left in tears after they discovered that a loveable ram called Marcus, which they had helped rear, was facing 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."

Offers to buy the sheep were turned away. Last night it emerged that pupils on the school council decided by a 13-1 vote to slaughter Marcus.

Head Andrea Charman said it was an important part of her pupils' education.

She said: "Many children don't realise animals they probably pass every week end up on their plate in one form or another. And one of our sheep is a neutered male. His purpose is meat.

"The children choose to send that sheep to market because they want more animals."

CAPTION(S):

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