THREE chickens are said to have been killed after a gang of “mindless” hoodlums broke into an allotment site and wreaked havoc.

The Willows allotments, located just off of Wych Elm, Colchester, have been left in a state of disrepair after an act of vicious vandalism.

It is understood a group of thugs cut their way through wire fencing positioned near a gated entrance before gaining access sometime between Sunday and Monday.

Once inside, they embarked on a trail of destruction as they smashed their way into at least six sheds, breaking items belonging to plot holders.

Reports have also suggested a knife was left behind at the scene and three chickens were sadistically killed.

Dave Harris, ward councillor for Berechurch, offered a reward to anyone who can help bring those responsible to justice.

He said: “First and foremost, the feelings of myself and my fellow councillors Martyn Warnes and Chris Pearson are with the victims.

“We deplore such mindless actions and the killing of animals, and we cannot see how anyone can gain pleasure from such stupid and awful behaviour.

“I condemn such criminal behaviour and so we are now willing to put up a reward of £100 for the successful prosecution of the culprits.”

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Mr Harris has now called on Colchester Council to take more stringent security precautions and to install better deterrents at the site.

“If the hedges of blackthorn had not been cut back so drastically the culprits would have been unable to get to the internal wire fence,” added Mr Harris.

“I, therefore, ask Colchester Council representatives to meet me on site with ad allotment holder representative to discuss security and an attempt to stop a repeat.”

A spokesperson for Colchester Council said: “It is hard to fathom why anyone would take pleasure in killing animals and destroying other people’s property, especially when having safe green spaces to enjoy makes such a positive difference to people’s quality of life and the wider community.

“We try to keep hedges to a height and width for contractors to safely maintain. Recent pruning work did result in some areas of the fence being more exposed in places, but that doesn’t justify the vandalism that occurred at the site.

“New growth will eventually help to reinforce the natural barrier the hedge creates, and, in the meantime, the chain-link fence will be made good.”