John Bolton arrived at his pigeon cree at East View allotments, in Boldon Colliery, to find thieves had raided the site.

The 59-year-old found the cages had been smashed open and 36 of his 80 breeding pigeons gone.

The 16 male and 20 female pigeons are estimated to be worth £1,800.
Mr Bolton, who has been breeding pigeons since the age of 14, said: "This is just devastating. I've had some of them since they were born and trained them up.

"I was just getting them ready to compete in the old bird section of a competition when this happened."

Mr Bolton, from Hylton Castle, Sunderland, had taken up pigeon-fancying as a full-time hobby after early retirement from his job as a machine operator last March due to ill health.

The theft, which happened overnight on Thursday, was discovered by Mr Bolton as he visited the allotment to feed the birds.

"I had only started with the pigeons again about a year ago, as I took early retirement because of a chest infection and asthma," added Mr Bolton.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 03456 043 043 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.