Decapitated owls 'singled out'

Raiders targeted two aviaries where the owls were kept

Police are to interview former employees and business acquaintances of the owner of a bird sanctuary after two rare owls were singled out and killed.

Raiders decapitated the African Marsh Owls at the Furness Owls Centre in Barrow, Cumbria on Sunday.

The owls' heads have since been found displayed on posts close to the centre, according to proprietor Steve Jones.

Mr Jones was the first person in the UK to breed the owls in early 2006 and said the loss was a devastating blow.

He said: "At first I thought the obvious things - that foxes or other wildlife were responsible, but the owls were singled out and killed in separate aviaries.

'Deliberately targeted'

"It was a breed we'd shipped over from Africa to start the breeding process off. We were going to exchange birds with a local owl trust.

"Now we've no breeding African Marsh Owls left in the country. Whoever has done this has come in deliberately to harm the collection."

The African Marsh Owls' necks were wrung so violently that they were decapitated.

Cumbria Police said they believe the birds were deliberately targeted in Sunday's attack.

The two owls killed were both female, said Mr Jones.