“EVIL” yobs speared a pigeon, trampled two chicks to death and wrung the neck of a chicken in an attack at an East Lancashire allot-ment.

Pigeon fancier Alan Ormerod, 48, said a group of around ten teenagers had smashed their way into his pens, behind Garden Street, in Padiham, before killing four of his birds.

The incident, which has sparked a police appeal for information, follows seve-ral attacks in the past three years which have seen hundreds of pigeons killed by thugs.

But, despite the carnage, defiant Mr Ormerod has refused to give in to the “sick” yobs.

The out-of-work builder, who has kept birds for 15 years, said: “I got a phone call from my neighbour at the allotment late at night, saying a bunch of about 10 teenagers were kicking my gate in.

“He shouted at them, but they just swore at him and then they smashed their way in. I went up five minutes later, but they had gone and all the fencing was smashed.

“Then, when I went up the morning after, there was a stake in one of my pigeons, they had wrung the neck of one of my chickens, and they had stamped on two pigeon chicks too.”

Mr Ormerod, of Bank Street, Padiham, was also targeted two years ago when one of his pens was burnt down.

But he said he has refused to be intimidated by the teenagers, who gather around the allotments at night and cause trouble.

He added: “One guy has had his pen burnt down a few times by kids. You can shout at them when they are smashing fences, but they just come back when you are not there.

“I am so angry about it all. I felt sick inside when I found what they had done to my birds. They are sick and evil. I have thought about giving up the allotment, but I don’t want them to beat me.”

The attack on Mr Orm-erod’s birds follows a fire, believed to have been star-ted deliberately, which killed more than 100 pigeons at lofts near Alkincoats Park, Colne, in February.

Pigeon fancier Robert Black, 72, told the Lanc-ashire Telegraph the tragedy had left him “devastated”, but determined to carry on breeding racing birds.

In May last year, more than 100 pigeons died after yobs set light to a shed at allotments off Bridleway. in Newchurch.

Meanwhile, around 160 birds belonging to Geoff Williams, of Partridge Hill Street, Padiham, were killed in two arson attacks in 2006 and 2008.

This weekend, police interviewed Mr Ormerod and surveyed the damage as they searched for clues to the incident, which happ-ened around 9.30pm on Tuesday.

Sgt Phil Broughton, from Padiham Police, urged witnesses to come forward.

The ten youths were aged around 15 or 16, and dressed in dark clothing.

Anyone with information should call police on 01282 425001, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.