Police have appealed for information relating to the theft of a number of cattle in Co. Armagh overnight.

Issuing a statement over social media on the matter, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Armagh account said:

"Police in Armagh are investigating a report of a theft in the Tassagh area.

The police force said it has received reports that five cattle have been taken from the area some time between 7:00pm last night (Wednesday, February 20) and 8:00am this morning.

"If you saw anything suspicious around the area of the Granemore Road, Tassagh please get in contact with us on 101 ref: 233 21/02/19 or you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111," the PSNI stated.

This follows on from the news earlier today that the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is asking its members to complete a short survey in order to gain an insight into the real extent of the impacts of rural crime – and why, despite this, many rural crimes go unreported.

Rural crime is an increasing and costly issue for farmers across Northern Ireland, rising as high as £2.6 million in 2017.

As part of the survey, members are asked how they view rural crime as well as the official response they receive when reporting incidents.