Bird thefts spark alert

Security has been stepped up for this year's Staffordshire County Show after a chicken rustling crimewave.

Extra stewards will be drafted in to guard the show's poultry and waterfowl marquee after a spate of bird thefts in neighbouring Shropshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire.

Show organisers say the thefts are down to a boom in demand for free range poultry and eggs, following high-profile campaigns by celebrity chefs.

Incidents of chicken rustling have also been reported across the rest of the UK and rare and valuable breeds are though to be especially attractive to thieves.

Among the small poultry flock keepers who have had birds stolen are Nigel Cank of Whixall, Shropshire, who lost 150 rare breed point-of-lay pullets, and Jane Hutchinson, of Matlock, Derbyshire, who had 40 birds taken along with hen-keeping equipment.

The birds taken from Mr Cank could have fetched as much as £2,000 on the open market .

Sue Bruton, secretary of the poultry and waterfowl show, said she was expecting between 600 and 800 entries for the section. She said five judges and five stewards would be keeping watch over the birds, along with members of the Lichfield and District Poultry Club, which organises the event.

She said: "There have been a worrying increase in the number of thefts of chickens from small flock owners and we shall be keeping a close watch on all exhibit entries."

The Staffordshire County Show has been staging a specialist poultry and waterfowl show for decades as part of the main show on the first day of the two-day event, attracting entries from across the Midlands.

In addition to entries of soft and hard feathered birds, there are classes for waterfowl, including ducks. This year, classes for call ducks have been extended.

There are also childrens' classes, which includes a question and handling section where youngsters are judged on their general knowledge of poultry keeping.

The show takes place at the 110-acre Staffordshire County Showground on Wednesday, May 28 and Thursday, May 29.

The poultry show is on the Wednesday and opens at 9.30am.