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A Kingennie farmer has blamed a Baptist Church fireworks display for killing one of his cows.

Hundreds of people attended Broughty Ferry Baptist Church’s fireworks party at Panmurefield on Saturday night.

However, David Reid, of Ethiebeaton Farm, said he believes the 20-minute display is responsible for the death of one of his cows.

He found the animal dead on Sunday morning and believes it may have had a heart attack or killed itself in a panic-stricken charge into a fence.

After the animal collapsed it slid around 30 feet down a hill, where it was found the next morning.

Mr Reid said: “The Baptists had their fireworks party. It went on for about 20 minutes and it wasn’t just the flashing, it was the loud banging.”

Mr Reid said he was unaware the event had been planned until it started on Saturday night.

“It was the seventh of November, not the fifth of November,” he said.“I just heard the noise then looked out of the window and said to my wife that we would have trouble with the cattle.

“I expected to find them out on the road from charging around but found a five-year-old cow dead.There was a broken bit of fence nearby so it’s obviously crashed into it and then slid about 30 feet down a hill, but we’ll never know what really killed it.

“I’m almost certain it was a heart attack or that it did some damage when it crashed into the fence.”

Mr Reid said a vet has had to take blood samples from the deceased cow to check it has not died of any disease, but if that is not the case it will cost too much to find out what killed the animal, which was worth around £1,000.

The cow was also still weaning its six-month old calf but Mr Reid said the younger animal will be old enough to survive by itself.

But he added: “It does mean I lose a cow of calving age, so lost out that way too.”

Broughty Ferry Baptist Church minister the Rev Dr Brian Talbot said he was “very sorry” if the display had led to any animal suffering.

He said: “Naturally I am very sorry if any animal was caused distress but I am very surprised if our display was responsible at that kind of distance.

“I was brought up on a farm and have pets so am sympathetic. In terms of our event it was very well advertised and flyers were also put out.”