DISTRAUGHT animal lovers from Weymouth are appealing for witnesses to come forward after ducks were stolen.

Andrew and Dawn Gill have taken on a number of birds from the RSPCA over the years to try to give them better lives as pets at their Wyke Regis home in Pirates Lane.

But thieves stole some of the birds in an overnight raid and have left the couple wondering about their beloved pets’ fates.

Retired bus driver Mrs Gill said: “I just love ducks and me and my husband have been looking after them for five or six years now.

“We’ve taken on a lot of animals from the RSPCA, including about nine ducks and eight chickens.

“We just wanted to give the battery hens a better life and the ducks.

“We haven’t been doing this for money. We give the eggs the birds lay away to people.

“People always seem to go overboard on taking on dogs and cats but no one ever seemed to want the birds, so we decided we would take them on and give them a better life.”

Mrs Gill said thieves entered her and her husband’s property late at night and stole two ducks.

Footage of the thieves was caught on CCTV.

The Gills have installed a laser alarm system to alert them if anyone enters their field.

Mrs Gill said: “I just wonder what’s happened to the ducks and, I hate to think of it, but they might have been killed by these people or hurt in some way.

“I’m still very upset by it and I hope someone out there may have seen something or knows what’s happened.

“After this, I don’t know if I have the heart to get any more animals from the RSPCA.”

A Dorset Police spokesman confirmed that Mr and Mrs Gill reported the two ducks as stolen.

Anyone who knows anything about the theft is urged to contact Dorset Police in confidence on 01305 222222.