A dog is feared to have died after eating rat poison left in a local nature reserve.

The dog, believed to be called Willow, died recently after walking along the Cuckoo Trail which runs from Heathfield to Eastbourne Park.

Now PC Kate Brookman has asked people be cautious.

She said: “We have recently been contacted by a large number of residents concerned about the poisoning of dogs on the Cuckoo Trail in Heathfield and the surrounding area.

“We have checked with all vets in Hailsham and Heathfield and none has reported a confirmed poisoning to us.

“I have had a couple of messages, from a Hailsham resident whose dog, very sadly, died recently.

“The comment the vet made to her was that poisoning was one of the possibilities as to why her dog had died.

“Unfortunately, rats do go on the Cuckoo Trail and if local residents use poison to kill them it could be dangerous for dogs.”

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