Ella Ensor had a little lamb named Crystal, the two were not only best friends – they were family.

But the eight-year-old has been left devastated after a teenage boy killed Crystal by repeatedly kicking the 10-week-old purebred Suffolk lamb at the Oropi School Calf Club event last Friday.

Her mother Sarah says the incident occurred after the competition had finished, and at the time Crystal had been tied up to a fence behind her car on the edge of the field, hidden from view.

'Ella saw this boy kicking Crystal several times on the left hand side of her stomach. Ella told him to stop hurting her lamb, he was also with another boy who was asking him to stop kicking Crystal too. They then both ran away along the fence line behind the vehicles.”

Ella didn't mention the incident to her parents at the time. Sarah thinks her daughter, who she describes as 'a tough kid”, probably felt like she dealt with the situation and would never have expected the tragic outcome.

Sarah recalls how Crystal was really tired when the family first got home and lay down on the lounge floor like she was about to go to sleep.

'Within the hour I heard her make a ‘baa' like she was in pain. I went and checked in on her, but it was Ella who found Crystal.

"Ella just started screaming, she was so upset, I've never seen my daughter that upset before. We tried to save her, but we couldn't.”

The next day Sarah's mother and father, a nurse and hunter respectively, carried out an autopsy on Crystal and discovered the entire left hand side of the lamb's body was covered in bruises and her liver was full of blood.

'It's just disgusting that someone, let alone a young child, could do this to an animal, or any living creature for that matter. His behaviour was unacceptable and animal abuse of the highest degree.”

Ella described the boy as looking about 13-14 years old, had blonde hair, and was wearing a black hoodie at the time.

Sarah says they want to meet with the boy to share how his actions have affected Ella and the family, and the extent of the grief they've experienced over losing Crystal.

'Crystal was more than a lamb, she was so spoilt, she was part of the family. Every night she would come into the kitchen and skipped around waiting for her bottler. We'd let her off and she'd run around outside with Ella chasing each other. They were best friends.

'Oropi School Calf Club was an absolutely amazing day, but it was all ruined by the boy's actions. Nothing will ever bring our gorgeous Crystal back, but I want knowledge to be taught to children in schools about how to treat and care for animals.”

Oropi School principal Andrew King says it's unfortunate this incident possibly occurred during the school Calf Club Day as it had been a great success with record numbers of people involved.

'It's a very devastating situation for the family to have gone through and on behalf of the school I wish to pass on our condolences, particularly as the lamb had won the competition and Ella was going on to represent the school.

'It is possible the lamb has died as a result of trauma, the school has made contact with a number of experts, farmers and a vet, but nothing conclusive has been established.”

Andrew says the school has sought more information about the incident from teachers, support staff, children and community members, but no information has come to light yet.

'The school would like to know if anyone noticed any unusual behaviour from a person during the day. If anyone has any information please make direct contact with the principal.”

If you have any information please contact Oropi School principal Andrew King on 07-543-1479 or the SPCA on 07-578-0245.