RAIDERS who stole valuable ducks and geese from a nursery near Blakedown in a Christmas strike returned this week to complete the job - slaughtering chickens in the process.

In total four pairs - including call ducks, mandarin ducks and emperor geese - have been snatched from Hodge Hill Nurseries off the A456 following the latest raid between Sunday night and Monday morning. Hodgehill Nurseries worker Edward Link keeps a watchful eye on some of the remaining ducks.

The burglars wrung the necks of chickens from a separate enclosure before throwing them into a pond to lure the more valuable birds on to dry land in an attack described as "sickening" by owner Philip Needham.

Mr Needham said he believed the culprits of a festive burglary, thought to have taken place around Thursday, December 27, had returned to complete their set to either breed or sell to a breeder.

Mr Needham has been running a farm shop, plant centre and florist on the site for 15 years and keeps chickens and ducks in a fenced-off pool near the front car park to interest visitors.

He said: "The mandarin ducks are worth £50 or £60 and are exceptionally pretty.

" The emperor geese are worth £120 a pair and are grey mottled with a white head."

He added the call ducks are worth about £50.

Anyone with any information about the thefts should call Kidderminster Police on 01562 820888.