A PENSIONER has called for action this week following yet another break-in at the pigeon lofts and sheds at Skipton's Broughton Road allotments.

Sixty-six-year-old John Peacock, of nearby Broughton Grove, who keeps hens as a hobby in his retirement, told the Herald he was sickened by the thieves, who stole three of his hens and left three dead.

Mr Peacock said: "The police have found footprints so we think someone must have broken into the allotments with a dog at night, put the dog in the hut and frightened the hens out.

"There were no signs of a break-in around the fence so it couldn't have been a fox.

"Three of my hens were mauled by the dog in the pen and three out of the other five were taken away."

He added: "I just feel sick about what has happened. You should have seen the state of the hens, they were just ripped apart."

The allotments are owned by Skipton Town Council and have been frequently targeted by thieves and vandals over the past five years.

Their actions have cost the tenants thousands of pounds.

More recently though, the thieves have targeted the many different birds kept on the allotments, which has caused much distress and concern to the owners.

In February, one allotment holder lost 24 precious birds, ranging from cockateels to love birds, when thieves broke into a shed and smashed the locks off the cages

Meanwhile, a second allotment holder told the Herald he was concerned for the safety of his 30 racing pigeons, after thieves stole the birds' corn and equipment.

Since the attacks, the allotment holders have pleaded with the town council to provide better security at the site.

They have also demanded that a gate be installed at the top of the road leading to the allotments to stop people from being able to drive down.

Members of Skipton Town Council discussed the matter at the safety and amenities committee last week.

When approached by the Herald, a council spokesperson said the matter was still being investigated.

She added that the proposed gate would have to be sited on a dangerous bend, on which there were double yellow lines, and could therefore be a highways "hazard".

She said this could cause a problem if people were parking up to open the gate and consultation would be needed with the highways authority.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact PC Vanessa Bateson at Skipton Police Station, tel 01756 793377.

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