CHILDREN and teachers have been left heartbroken after chicks were stolen from a school.

Youngsters were upset after discovering that six Silkie chicks they had been looking after had been stolen from their outdoor coop.

Mandy Redfern, early years teacher from Lyppard Grange Primary School, said the theft had affected the nursery-age children badly.

Miss Redfern, aged 48, said: “The children are heartbroken, and we are devastated. The children were frustrated as to why anyone would steal our school’s animals.

“The staff felt so lost. It was upsetting to break the news to the children as everyone had invested so much time and excitement over the last few months.

“We have had the children crying. It was like having a pet at home. You put so much love into them and for them to suddenly be gone like that we just can’t believe it. It feels like part of the school is missing. It is now very quiet without them.”

The early years children at the school in Ankerage Green, Worcester, had been given a set of eggs and incubators as part of the children’s learning theme. The chicks had been in the classroom for three months before being placed in their coop outside on Monday (April 29).

Miss Redfern says the coop was broken into and the six chicks were stolen on Wednesday (May 1) evening.

She added: “The grass had been trampled on and the food bucket had been moved. There were chick feathers on the floor. There were only around six or seven feathers lying on the floor, so it is clear the chicks were not eaten, else it would been mayhem and caused a right mess.”

Miss Redfern added: “The children very excitedly watched the eggs develop over the 21-day period and then filmed the chicks hatching from their eggs. The children enthusiastically took part in a naming competition and looked after them for weeks and weeks. It made their learning come alive. They have learnt about empathy and key life skills.

“It is sad, and this is a harsh lesson which proves not everyone is considerate of other people’s feelings.”

Miss Redfern claims that Silkie chickens are expensive to buy, costing £30 per chicken. She added: “£30 per chicken is a lot of money for a school to spend on replacing the chicks.

“We had two white and four golden Silkie chicks. They were absolutely beautiful – they look like a ball of fluff with tiny feet and spiky hair.”

The children have been bringing in posters which they made at home and are appealing to find the chicken thief but the theft has not yet been reported to police.

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