Mystery of mummified remains of young dogs piled up in a building on a former RAF airfield in Lincolshire
THE mummified remains of dozens of dead puppies surrounded by shotgun cartridges have been found at a derelict RAF base.
Shocking images show more 20 of young greyhounds and whippets piled up in a disused building at the former RAF Sturgate near Gainsborough, Lincs.
Shotgun cartridges can be seen lying near the bodies in footage of the grim discovery.
Graphic images show 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 were severely decomposed and it is not known how long they had been there.
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 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 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 Michelle, 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 base.
Michelle, 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.
Animal welfare officer Kate Burris said: "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.
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