Officials from the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are conducting an investigation into animal care at Horton Park Children's Farm, after receiving allegations of neglect and cruelty to its stock.

The claims come from former stock assistant, 20-year-old Tara Farrington, who says she was sacked because of the complaints she made about the way animals were treated at the Epsom farm.

Inspectors from the Animal Heath division of Defra visited the farm following her complaints which have been vehemently denied by the owner Jacqui Flaherty.

Tara, from Chetwode Road, Tadworth, who has a diploma in animal care from Nescot, said: "I was sacked because they said I didn't fit in, but it was because I used to point out which animals were suffering and nothing got done.

"A lamb got flystrike a condition in which an animal becomes infested with maggots which eat under its skin. She was so bad she could barely stand. When the wool was cut away you could see the maggots eating under her skin."

The animal was put down to prevent it suffering further, she alleged. Goats became lame because their hooves weren't trimmed properly and small animals which became ill were not given veterinary treatment, she claimed.

Miss Farrington's allegations of repeated acts of neglect at the farm have been refuted by Mrs Flaherty, who said that her former employee was unused to the reality of working with farm animals.

"Flystrike is disgusting - you don't realise an animal has it because of the wool and by the time you clip the wool away it can be absolutely foul. In theory no animal should get it. In practice I don't know of any farmer who has not had experience of it."

A member of staff in charge of clipping the goats' hooves had "not made a good job of it," she said, a problem which had now been remedied.

"Small animals, by and large, are not treated by vets. You will find anyone who has large numbers of animals tends not to do this. It is not a practical option. Our staff are quite skilled at treating them, otherwise they are put down. You have to be bit tough to be in animal care and unfortunately Tara isn't."

The latest Defra inspection of the farm animals had been satisfactory, she said.

A spokesman for Defra confirmed that it was carrying out an ongoing inspection at the farm.