A leisurely drive across the moor turned into a grisly nightmare for a Nesfield family during the Bank Holiday - thanks to thoughtless dog walkers.

Kirsty and Adam Holdsworth were driving along Hangingstone Road, in Ilkley, on Monday afternoon, when a group of sheep came hurtling towards their BMW, shattering the windscreen and leaving their three-week old baby covered in glass.

"The sheep came from absolutely nowhere and there was no way I could avoid them," said Mrs Holdsworth, 31.

"Two of them hit the car, one of them bouncing off the roof, and the windscreen shattered, covering our daughter, Tabitha, in glass.

"I had to brush the glass off her and luckily she wasn't hurt at all but we were all extremely frightened."

The couple got out of the car and were told by nearby walkers that a dog without a lead had scared the sheep and caused them to bolt.

"It makes me really angry that thoughtless people who let their dogs run around the moor without a lead have caused so much damage," said Mrs Holdsworth.

One of the sheep was killed in the accident and another injured, while the couple's other children, Hebe, two, and 19-month-old Henry, were left visibly shaken.

But worse was to come - after contacting the police the couple were told they would have to claim on their own insurance and pay for the dead sheep.

"I just feel really sorry for the sheep that died," said Mrs Holdsworth. "I want dog walkers to realise the importance of a lead - the dog could also have been killed."

Now Mrs Holdsworth is convinced that the stretch of road is cursed for her family.

"Three weeks ago when I was about to have Tabitha my waters broke on the same bit of road. The car had only just come out of the garage from that when this happened and now it has to go back in with £1,200 worth of damage."

Farmer's wife Eleanor Ellis said the sheep was the third to be killed in recent weeks. "People letting their dogs chase sheep is a major problem but the thing to remember is that sheep are very easily startled and vulnerable. We would urge people to drive very slowly along the moor road to avoid these kind of accidents," she said.