SHELBY, N.C. - A small herd of goats caused plenty of problems for a North Carolina high school hoping to play a home football game on senior night.

The Shelby Star reported that nearly a dozen goats were released in the Burns High School stadium in Cleveland County on Thursday night or Friday morning.

School officials said the goats caused enough of a mess to force the game against Rutherfordton-Spindale Central to be moved.

The prank raised concern because of a recent outbreak of E. coli cases associated with the Cleveland County Fair west of Charlotte this month.

Burns Athletic Director Eddy Taylor said health department officials came to the school and told them the game would have to be moved.

Other activities scheduled at Burns on Friday also had to be moved.