AN ANONYMOUS donor is offering a £1,000 reward to catch those who strangled an 18-month-old heifer to death.

The resident was so appalled by the nature in which the cow was mercilessly strangled on a farm near Whitby over the weekend, that they have put up the large reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.

Andrea Stephenson, from Frosterley, in Weardale, County Durham, runs Farm Watcher, which uses social media to alert the farming community to rural crime or stolen property.

She says she was contacted by someone offering a £1,000 reward for information, following widespread publicity of the incident.

The Aberdeen Angus cow was found strangled to death in a field at New Gardens, Whitby, with a length of rope attached around its neck after it was believed to have been killed sometime overnight between Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31.

Police are now investigating the incident and urging anyone who saw anything suspicious at the time to get in touch.

Anyone who can help police with their enquiries is urged to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 -select option 2 – and ask for PC Neil Graham or Whitby police.

If you prefer not to give your name, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Please quote reference number 12150090224 when passing information about this incident.