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Yet another sausage covered in a mysterious substance has been found wrapped in a leaf in Bristol.

It is the latest in a spate of similar incidents dating back to June, which have left dog owners fearing for their pets' safety.

The frankfurter was found in almost exactly the same spot as one which was discovered by a dog walker on October 16 , next to a concrete post on the corner of Henleaze Road and Downs Park West, in the Westbury Park area.

It was spotted by Jacqui Mitchell, who lives nearby and is worried about her two mini dachshunds.

"I was driving past with my husband and that's when I spotted it, lying in the same place as previous ones which have been found," she told Bristol Live.

"It must have been left there today as there was heavy rain all day yesterday which would have washed it away.

"I have two mini dachshunds and I'm worried about their safety, as the substance could be harmful.

"Our dogs are low to the ground which means if they come across something they want to eat, they will be able to before we have a chance to stop them."

'Very sad'

(Image: Jacqui Mitchell)

After finding the sausage, Jacqui picked it up and took it home so that it doesn't pose a risk to other animals.

Like other dog walkers who have found sausages, she wants to find out who is doing it and what the substance is.

"We've changed the route of our dog walk since the first sausage was found in the area just to be on the safe side," she added.

"I just think it's very sad that someone would do this. They're either doing it to cause fear and worry among people or to try and hurt animals.

"We picked it up but we don't know what to do with it now. We'd like it to be tested to find out if indeed it is dangerous or whether it's just a silly prank."

The other sausage incidents

James Ingham told Bristol Live in September his wife Jess found a sausage in a crisp packet at the corner of Henleaze Road and Downs Park West on three occasions over the summer.

Mr Ingham says the three sausages appeared to be coated in a gel and were "hidden" in cheddar and onion McCoy's packets.

He added: "We live in Downs Park East, and have a dog which we walk along the pavement to the Downs for exercise, past this concrete post, a couple of times a day.

"You can imagine we are keen to find out how concerned we should be."

Frankfurters were left on the driveways of two language schools in Clifton in June.

A woman, who did not wish to be named, said she saw a man placing two frankfurters on the drive of the English Language Centre on Pembroke Road at 7.30pm on June 9.

And she claims she found another frankfurter, wrapped in a leaf, outside Clifton College's languages department on Worcester Road at 7.30pm on June 16.

She says she saw a sausage of the same variety on the pavement of Leigh Road 15 minutes earlier.

The English Language Centre teaches students aged 16 and over, while Clifton College's pupils are aged from two to 18. The schools are around 0.2 miles from each other.

The woman feared the meat may have been coated with poison.

She said the man seen during the Pembroke Road incident was white, aged around 65, with grey and thinning hair, and of medium build, with a check shirt and dark trousers.

What are the police doing?

Avon and Somerset Constabulary told Bristol Live in June that an investigation was "underway to establish whether the food items contain any harmful or poisonous substances".

But earlier this month a force spokeswoman said: "We’re aware of sausages being left on the ground in Clifton in suspicious circumstances on a number of occasions.

“We haven’t received any reports of animals falling ill as a result of eating the sausages.

“It’s not an offence to leave food on the floor and it would be disproportionate, particularly given the significant cost implications, to forensically examine these items.

“We are in contact with a veterinary practice in Clifton. Staff are aware of the incidents and will contact us if any animals are brought in due to poisoning matching these circumstances.”

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