CATTLE smashed headstones and then dropped dead after eating a poisonous yew tree in a church graveyard.

Gravestones still lie smashed at Buscot Church and the clean-up is still going on.

Parishioners found the dead cattle in the graveyard on the morning of December 6 in the village near Lechlade.

They were grazing in the field next to the church, which was fenced off, and it is believed they entered the graveyard during the night.

Farmer Andy Symonds got a phone call telling him a car had collided with one of his wandering cattle.

He then found three dead in the churchyard and watched in horror as the other dropped dead in front of him.

"I lost nine cattle in total," said the 30-year-old.

"It was a bad day, as I saw five drop dead in front of me and we couldn't save them.

"The vet said there was nothing that could be done as the yew tree poison is toxic - a mouthful is enough to kill.

"Within two minutes they were dead.

"It is important to keep livestock and horses away from yew trees."

Mr Symonds said the gate that separated the cattle from the churchyard can't have been strong enough.

Hazel Harris, the secretary of the parochial church council said: "Nine dead cattle were lying there. It was horrible.

"It is a terrible accident and no one is blaming anyone for it."

Mrs Harris says the community of Buscot feels for Mr Symonds who lost his cattle, as he always made every effort to keep them fenced in.

But they were also upset because the graves of family members had been damaged.

"The parish is devastated that it has happened and we all have sympathy for the farmer," she said.

"No one likes to see an animal suffering and a cow is a large animal.

"At Christmas time a lot of people made efforts to see family graves, so it is was sad."

The church is still waiting for insurance money to come through to pay for the nine damaged headstones some of which date back to the 1800s.