Police are hunting thieves who stole more than 300 chickens from a farm in a raid earlier today.

Farmer Keith Errington and wife Joyce believe the thieves stole to order as they are the sole importers of rare Bovans Nera chickens from Holland.

The chickens, which also included another breed of Meadow Sweet rangers, were kept by the Errington's for egg producing and are not table birds.

The thieves struck at East Grange farm, in High Shincliffe, on the outskirts of Durham, where they ran across fields and forced open a shed housing the chickens.

Mrs Errington said the chickens were nearing the egg-laying season and were due to be sold on to various outlets, including organic suppliers. She said: ''This is a huge blow to the business coming so soon after the impact of foot-and-mouth disease.

''The thieves must have brought their own crates to transfer the birds and must have stolen them to order.

''There's a huge customer network in the area and they will try to sell them through local auction marts, although we have already alerted them.''

A Durham Police spokesman said: ''We are investigating a break-in where thieves struck in the middle of the night and went on the run with more than 300 chickens.

''The chickens were kept for their egg-laying qualities rather than for the table.''

Ends