Wrocław, Poland – The remains of a 72-year-old Polish farmer who had been missing since New Year’s Eve have been found with everything apprently indicating that the man had in fact been eaten by his own pigs.

The macabre incident occurred in the Lower Silesian town of Osiek near Lubin, about 71 kilometres northwest of Wrocław.

‘We do not know the exact date, but in the period between December 31 and January 8 the victim was eaten by pigs”, stated Magdalena Serafin, the District Prosecutor in Lubin.

The bones of the 72-year-old farmer were discovered in his own yard by his neighbour on January 8, more than a week after he was last seen alive on New Year’s Eve, getting water from his well. The remains were apparently found near that same well.

So far, little is known about how the farmer died. Forensic expert have already been called to the case while the animals will most likely be put to sleep.

According to Gazeta Wrocławska, it is believed that the farmer possibly died of a heart attack or just fainted, before his body was almost entirely eaten by his pigs who were not locked in the pigsty and roamed freely around the property. Only a few bones and skull fragments were found. It has also been reported that the man, who lived alone, had been a heavy drinker for some time.

Last year, a 56-year-old Russian woman was also eaten by pigs after collapsing in their pen in a village in the central Russian region of Udmurtia, east of the city of Kazan.