POLICE are hunting vandals who killed nine racing pigeons in a former mining village at the weekend.

Three crees were broken into at Paradise Allotments, near the Welfare Hall and Park in Easington Colliery, near Peterlee, County Durham. between Friday night and Saturday morning.

A Durham Police spokesman said the birds had been killed in a "callous and cruel manner".

The bodies of six birds taken from one of the lofts were thrown through the windows.

A scenes of crime officer was at the allotments yesterday looking for forensic evidence.

Police said that at this stage they had no idea what the motive for the attacks may have been.

The spokesman urged people to come forward with any information, adding: "It is believed that whoever is responsible will have blood on their clothing."

It is the second major attack on pigeons at the allotments.

Two years ago, dozens of birds died in a blaze that took firefighters five hours to bring under control.

The alarm was raised at 6.15am when flames were seen rising from the sheds near Beatty Street.

Firefighters from Peterlee battled the blaze and helped release birds trapped in their lofts.

The allotments had been the repeated target of vandals, and people living nearby claimed youths were most likely to blame.

One fancier, who lost birds in the blaze and gave up his hobby after the tragedy, said that the culprits had never been brought to justice.

"I have packed them in, I haven't got any pigeons now," he said.

"It is terrible when you think that you cannot leave your loft alone because of people getting in and causing trouble.

"There have been no break-ins for a while. It was a problem for a while, but it seemed to have dried up.''

In April, six prize pigeons, thought to be worth about £2,000, were dismembered by vandals who broke into allotments in Chester-le-Street, CountyDurham.

In June last year, 60 pigeons died in a blaze started at allotment sheds in Brierton Grove, Hartlepool, Teesside

Police are appealing for anyone with information about the latest incident to call Peterlee police station on 0191-586 2621.