Dog walkers have been warned to be careful after a bowl of rancid-looking raw meat was found at a popular spot.

A woman on the I Love SE4 Facebook group posted the photo above with the caption: “This was found hidden in a bush in Nunhead Cemetery. It is raw stewing steak with peppers and an unidentified topping. Probably put there to lure dogs.”

Some people took to the comments section to tell the woman the meat was an "offering" to get rid of bad spirits.

One user said: “It looks like a Religious offering. The flour is probably cassava. These are very common in my country in Brazil and also West Africa. They are left in the cemetery for the Exus spirit.”

And another person told her: “If it was found in the cemetery hidden then it's there as a spell casting or voodoo offerings. Along those lines. If your NOT a believer the person who found it you'll be fine.”

But others worried about the threat the meat might pose to dogs, questioning whether it could be poisonous and put there specifically to target pets.

If you are worried that your dog has been poisoned while out and about, the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) is a 24-hour emergency service providing information and advice to vets and animal welfare organisations on the treatment of animals exposed to toxins.

For more information visit the RSPCA website.