A WILDLIFE centre’s kestrel is missing after intruders smashed their way into its pen.

The 18-month-old bird of prey, called Bob, was taken from his enclosure at the Newrad Wildlife and Conservation Centre, Watery Lane, Darwen.

Bob was rescued as a chick and brought up in captivity.

Staff at the centre fear that yobs may have “signed his death warrant” by releasing him into the wild.

Newrad secretary Rita Billington found Bob’s enclosure, which is built on to the side of the main buildings, empty when she came to open up following the break-in.

The intruders had used special clippers to cut through the mesh, allowing Bob to escape.

It has left Mrs Billington fearing that Bob was deliberately released into the wild, even though the bird has lived at the Newrad centre since being found injured as a chick.

She said: “I think he has been set free on purpose.

“I would rather someone had stolen him because that would mean he is being fed and looked after.

“But because he has never lived in the wild, in setting him free they have signed his death warrant.”

Bob was found just weeks old by a Darwen resident and passed on to Newrad as staff had experience looking after wildlife.

He had been brought up on dead mice and was often used in children’s classes at the centre.

Mrs Billington said: “We cannot understand why anyone would do this.

“We are all upset and horrified down here because he was like our baby. We had reared him and brought him up.

“I would like to find whoever took him or set him free.”

PC Phil Hambley, from Darwen Police, confirmed that officers were investigating a case of criminal damage.

He urged anyone with information about the incident, which happened overnight on Thursday, January 7 and Friday, January 8, to call police on 01254 222135 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.