Six chickens were slaughtered in their coop and one decapitated, with its head left on a spike.

Mike Bowen, 55, was devastated to discover his birds left mutilated by thugs who broke into his allotment at the weekend. Two chickens survived but are badly injured.

The birds were found between 5am and 5.30am on Saturday morning, police said today.

Mr Bowen, of Fellowes Road, Carshalton, where he also keeps his allotment, said: "To be honest I think they can only be described as cowardly and sick.

"I know that showing off and acting tough seems to be the thing for teenagers to do these days, but who goes after defenceless animals?"

He added that one of the chicken's heads was mounted onto the top of the mesh fence that surrounded the allotment.

A group of ducks that Mr Bowen keeps nearby were left unharmed, he said.

Police said a resident reported seeing a group of three youths in the allotments near the chicken coop before they ran away.

They were described as white, and aged between 14 and 17.

Officers found the wire mesh around the coop had been pulled away from its frame.

Mr Bowen had previously alerted the police to a group of five teenagers of a similar age breaking their way into the allotment last Tuesday, but he thought it was a case of "lads being lads" and was nothing to be worried about.

He said: "It has always been a dream for me and my wife to live 'the good life.'

"We were never going to afford a country manor, but we did fancy an allotment to call our own.

"I don't understand why anyone would want to do that to some defenceless animals."

  • Anyone with information should call Sutton police on 101, quoting reference number 4009283/15, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.