Community farm popular with children raided twice by thieves

A charity has been raided by thieves who have stolen chicks with their coops, in two separate robberies.

Bill Quay Farm, a community farm popular with families in Pelaw, Tyne and Wear, was hit by the thieves on Monday and Tuesday (29 and 30 May).

The thieves cut a lock and broke a fence to steal two "Omlet Eglu" coops with young chicks. Children from a local school helped the farm incubate the chicks.

Cream legbar and scots grey chicks, which are both rare breed chickens, were incubated and hatched as part of a special programme with schools.

In a statement on their Facebook page, the farm team said: "As a community Farm it hurts us to know that not everyone will be able to share in the delight of our young chickens and watch them grow, and we hope nothing of this nature happens again."

"We are very sad to have lost our chicks, and the Omlets we needed to house the next lot of incubated chicks that are due to go outside soon.

"We are hoping that whoever took our animals and will find it within themselves to return our Omlets and chicks as we simply cannot afford to replace them, and the chicks will be sorely missed from our little flock."

"As a community farm it hurts us to know that not everyone will be able to share in the delight of our young chickens and watch them grow, and we hope nothing of this nature happens again."