Attempt to steal 1,000 game birds

Police have advised farmers to increase security

Thieves left behind 1,000 game birds at a farm in Lancashire after becoming "spooked", according to police.

The raiders had targeted a flock of pheasants and partridges at the farm just outside Preston.

The young game birds were taken from their secure cabins, placed in crates and carried across a field not far from the property.

They were discovered by the farmer just after dawn on Tuesday, none of them were injured.

Pc Duncan Thomas, a wildlife officer for Lancashire Police, said, "We suspect that the people responsible had prior knowledge of the farm and had experience in handling this sort of quantity of poults and became spooked.

"I would also take this opportunity to advise all game farms and shoots to review their security, and consider simple measures such as signage, CCTV, securing crates and cabins that can go some way to deterring this sort of theft.

"Additional measures you could take include the marking or ringing of some of stock or even micro-chipping via a vet."