The dramatic rescue of sheep being freed after becoming trapped in brambles has prompted a council to make welfare checks after the incident was captured on film. 

The animals currently graze at Thetford Castle and have been used to manage vegetation on the mound for the last five years.

This avoids the need for mowing, which costs the town council £7,500 per cut.   

Now the council has pledged to ensure welfare checks are being carried out after a concerned passer-by caught the rescue on camera.

The video footage shows some of the flock being released after becoming caught up in brambles at the 900-year-old site, known locally as Castle Hill, on Sunday. 

One woman who saw the rescue said: "I saw three sheep in distress which were caught up in brambles and couldn’t get free. One of the sheep was exhausted from trying and was laying down. 

"I rang the out of hours mobile and they texted me back. After a lot of explaining on how the sheep were, the guy said he will contact the grazers who had left the sheep there and they will deal with it."

The woman added that a man - who was out running - jumped the fence and released the sheep that were entangled, ripping his red body warmer as he tried to free them.

A man approaches one of the sheep caught in bramblesA man approaches one of the sheep caught in brambles (Image: Submitted) She took a video of the rescue, which shows one of the animals trying to run away trailing brambles caught in its fleece.

The man then stumbles on the steep slope as he tries to pursue the sheep to remove them.

Thetford Town Council, which owns the castle, said in a statement that it is "deeply committed to both animal welfare and the preservation of its heritage".

An aerial view of the mound at Thetford CastleAn aerial view of the mound at Thetford Castle (Image: Mike Page)

It added: "The mound is a scheduled monument, and conservation grazing is used as a sustainable method to manage vegetation. 

"However, Thetford Town Council recognises that such practices must be carried out responsibly, and we are disheartened to hear about this incident.

"To address the concerns raised, we are working closely with our grazing team to review the procedures in place.

"This includes confirming that regular welfare checks are being conducted and that they meet best practices whilst ensuring that the area is free from brambles that could pose a risk to sheep."