Animals die in farm carnage
Dozens of animals were killed in a horrific attack at a free range farm near Market Drayton. Dozens of animals were killed in a horrific attack at a free range farm near Market Drayton. About 40 hens and three piglets were discovered dead at Ben's Eggs in Loggerheads on Saturday. Owner Ben Pimlott was horrified to find the hens had been released from their enclosure overnight. He believes those that weren't beaten to death before they escaped were killed by foxes. Mr Pimlott started his collection aged just seven. He then found three of his month-old piglets had been removed from their pen, killed and laid out side by side. Those responsible for the sick attack also wrecked a tractor that was parked on the site. Read the full story in the Shropshire Star
Dozens of animals were killed in a horrific attack at a free range farm near Market Drayton. About 40 hens and three piglets were discovered dead at Ben's Eggs in Loggerheads on Saturday.
Owner Ben Pimlott was horrified to find the hens had been released from their enclosure overnight. He believes those that weren't beaten to death before they escaped were killed by foxes. Mr Pimlott started his collection aged just seven.
He then found three of his month-old piglets had been removed from their pen, killed and laid out side by side.
Those responsible for the sick attack also wrecked a tractor that was parked on the site. Mr Pimlott's mother Sheila today said: "It is absolutely devastating, we can't think of any reason why this would happen.
"It happened between Friday night, after Ben shut the pens up, and the next morning when he was met with a scene of devastation.
"Some of the hens had been killed by foxes, but some had been killed in the sheds and it looks like they were hit with sticks.
"They also took three of the month-old piglets, which we found dead and laid out side by side in the field.
"Ben is very upset and thinking whether it is worth carrying on. The little pigs were the last thing he saw and to just kill them and line them up in the field makes you wonder what type of people did this.
"This is was beyond anything you could imagine. It is terrible and were are all very upset."
Mrs Pimlott also appealed for anyone who might have seen people in the area on Friday night or the early hours of Saturday morning to call the police.
"Whoever did this would have been absolutely mucked up, so somebody must have noticed something, or spotted someone in the field as they drove past," she said.
A spokesman for Staffordshire Police today confirmed the matter was being investigated.
He said: "It looks like the offenders have gone in and opened the doors of three hen houses and 40 have been killed by foxes.
"They have also damaged fencing around the pig pen and a number of piglets have been found dead at the scene."
Anyone with any information about the incident can call Staffordshire Police on 08453 302010.
By Andy Rogers