Chicks are killed after vandal raid

Photo: Paul Sterritt

Fitton Hill health and wellbeing centre in Oldham, had a break in by vandals breaking the door to the centres chicken coup. An urban fox from the area later entered the coup left open by the vandals and attacked sixteen of the chickens leaving two of them alive and traumatised by the attack of the fox. John Drydale a centre user checks over one of the remaining chickens.

CHICKENS were killed by a fox after vandals broke down a poultry enclosure at an Oldham centre for people with learning disabilities.

The Fitton Hill Health and Wellbeing Centre was broken into overnight last Thursday. Sixteen chickens were freed from an enclosure, following which most are believed to have been killed by foxes.

The incident has devastated people who use the premises, according to centre manager Gary Baynham.

The site, in Wildbrook Crescent, is run by Oldham Care and Support, an independent trading arm of Oldham Council which has similar centres at Chadderton and Failsworth.

Mr Baynham said: “People broke into the enclosure and it looks like they released all the chickens and a fox got all but two of them. Many of them had their heads bitten off, which is what foxes do.

“The enclosure is quite hefty and young children couldn’t do this sort of damage. It must have been done by older youths or adults with the strength to do it.”

Councillor Jean Stretton, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Coooperatives, said: “This is a mindless act of vandalism and disgusting animal cruelty — it is outrageous that someone would do this. “If anyone has information about the incident I urge them to go to the police so we can bring these people to justice.”