A PIGEON fancier spoke of his devastation after discovering thugs had decapitated his birds.

Pensioner Robert Caswell's loft was broken into and 22 of his racing pigeons had their heads pulled off.

The thugs also injured eight others on Friday night.

The 65-year-old widower said: "They are sick. They want locking up and the key chucking away.''

The thugs who broke into the "Pigeon Gardens" off Skippers Lane, South Bank, Teesside, also dropped concrete on several hens and chickens in neighbouring allotments, crushing them to death. It prompted one owner to move his chicks.

Two allotments off nearby Harcourt Road, South Bank, were burnt to the ground at about the same time.

Mr Caswell, who has kept pigeons most of his life, said: "I cannot believe anyone would do this to defenceless animals.''

He said that if some of his pigeons had not been taken to Essex for a race, he would have lost all his birds. However, he said he will not allow the thugs to win. "I am not giving up. I have nothing else to do,'' he said.

Cleveland Police, who are investigating the crime, condemned the cruelty.

PC Shelley McCloud said: "They were worth between £200 to £300 each. It is a mindless act of vandalism."