The mummified remains of dozens of dead puppies surrounded by shotgun cartridges have been found at a derelict RAF site.
Shocking images show over 20 of the decomposed dogs piled up in a disused building at the former RAF Sturgate near Gainsborough, Lincs.
Shotgun shells were also found near the bodies which are thought to be young greyhounds and whippets.
Graphic pictures and footage of the grim discovery show how a number of the bones were broken and on one carcass the jaw had been dislocated.
Several of the bodies still had teeth visible and ears intact and whiskers could even be seen on one of the dogs.
But others had severely decomposed with the skulls and spines becoming separated from the rest of the carcass.
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Michelle Page, who runs Page’s Pet Rescue, was contacted after a member of the public found the dogs piled on top of each other in a corner in the derelict RAF building.
She said: “I was distraught to see it. I am such a massive animal lover and I can’t describe how I feel coming here and seeing this, I was in tears.
“It’s disheartening to think someone could kill them. I picture my dogs and I can’t imagine anyone doing this.
“If you look at them the ribs are broken and it looks like they have been mistreated.
“There is a hole in the head of one of the carcasses too.
“They are only babies because their teeth are so white, they are either greyhounds or whippets.
“Their ears are also like puppy ears. It’s so disturbing that the ribs are smashed.
“There are bullet cases over and the colour of the wall looked like there was blood splattered up it.
“I think they have been shot in there.”
Volunteer Karen Hewitt-Hines, who also visited the site with Miss Page, added: “I was distraught and when we saw them my heart sank.
“You can’t explain something like this.
“We know nothing about what has happened and nothing about how they died and that’s really difficult.”
The dogs were found in the disused building at the end of a dirt track on the former RAF site which is now a commercial airfield serving glider clubs.
Miss Page, from Gainsborough, said she scanned the puppies to see if they are microchipped but none of them were registered.
She also called the RSPCA who visited the site but animal welfare officer Kate Burris said it was a mystery what had happened to the dogs.
She added: “It’s hard to tell whether it’s a greyhound or a fox.
“It looked like it has had a tail docked and if it was a fox there would have been a lot more hair around.
“I’ve not seen as many dead dogs as this in one place.
“They look mummified and it is so hard to tell what’s happened, it’s a mystery.”
* RAF Sturgate opened on March 1, 1944 and fell into disuse shortly after World War Two ended.
It was then used by the US Air Force before being sold back to the RAF in 1959.
The RAF closed its gates for the final time in 1964 and the site became a commercial airfield called Sturgate Airfield which serves glider clubs.
