ALLOTMENT holders today branded the vandals who slaughtered 41 chickens as "sick thugs."Police are appealing for witnesses after yobs attacked and killed livestock at the Aster Road allotments.

ALLOTMENT holders today branded the vandals who slaughtered 41 chickens as "sick thugs."

Police are appealing for witnesses after yobs attacked and killed livestock at the Aster Road allotments.

A chicken run was broken into and most were bludgeoned to death with a plank of wood, while three others were drowned in a nearby water butt.

Allotment chairman Bob McNay, 56, said: "It was mindless vandalism. The yobs had just battered the chickens.

"They were lying dead everywhere. There are one or two chickens left but about four had to be put down the day after.

"They had broken legs, broken wings and everything. It must have been an agonising death for them. The people responsible must have been really sick to do it.

"There are a lot of angry allotment holders. To interfere with chickens, you couldn't get any lower. It would also have created a lot of noise – someone must have heard something."

But Mr McNay added: "The owners were obviously angry and upset. I think they think it isn't worthwhile any more. But we mustn't give in or let the yobs think that let them think that they have won."

The allotments – which are part bounded by a 6ft high fence with barbed wire – were broken into between 6 pm on October 18 and 8am the following morning.

A potting shed window was also smashed.

Secretary Win McNay, 56, it was the first time vandals have targeted livestock on the Aster Road site.

"It is so mindless – but unfortunately it is just the way of the world. Some parents don't worry about where their children are any more.

"But this sort of thing does make people wonder what will happen overnight. They worry about what they have to face the next day."

Anyone with any information should contact Ipswich Police on 01473 613500 or crimestoppers on 0800 555111.