NINE goats from the Valley of Rocks in North Devon have been put down for health reasons.

The feral goats were among a herd of 170 that were rounded up and checked by vets.

Many more are expected to be culled later in the year to reduce the herd to between 45 and 80.

The round-up of goats last week was carried out by Lynton Town Council, Diana Lewis, of North Devon Animal Ambulance, and Market Vets.

They said the purpose of the exercise was to check the health of the animals.

A second round-up, at which the numbers will be radically reduced, is for the sake of the long-term health of the herd.

Town councillor Julian Gurney said: "If a farmer had a flock of sheep, they would be 'filtered' with lambs being sent to slaughter for meat and ewes slaughtered when they were too old and no longer financially viable.

"That has never happened with these goats, so their numbers have grown and grown, until they are no longer sustainable in the Valley.

"It's all right in the summer, but in the winter, when there is no grazing, they starve."

He said that in addition, the condition of many of the 170 goats was extremely poor.

"If you had a dog in such a poor condition, you wouldn't let it suffer that way," said Cllr Gurney.

Not all the sick goats could be put down last week, he said: "Quite a lot of nannies were in very poor health, but they were lactating and we didn't know which kid belonged with which nanny. We are unable to put those nannies down until they finish feeding their kids.

"We need goats out there, for conservation grazing, and without them the area would deteriorate until it was woodland and no one wants to lose the Valley."

Diana Lewis said: "The operation went like clockwork. We had a wonderful team and Market Vets were wonderful.

"Everybody, on both sides of the goat debate, put their differences aside for the sake of their welfare, which just goes to prove that when people get together and debate something quietly and sensibly, even the worst problems can be overcome without argument."

Describing the goats she said: "They were teeming with ticks and lice. People going out into the Valley to walk their dogs or to have picnics with their families, don't want to face that, so they had to be dealt with."

The goats were also vaccinated against Bluetongue and liver fluke and had feet and teeth checks.

Later in the year, the numbers will be reduced further on the advice of the vets and of Natural England who have recommended a herd of between 45 and 80 as sustainable in the Valley.

Diana said one of the main reasons for the deterioration in the health of the herd was severe inter-breeding.