A REDDITCH man is devastated after more than 12 of his birds were stolen from a locked back-garden shed.

The Lakeside resident, who asked not to be named, had his New Zealand Parakeets taken by intruders using a garden fork to force entry.

Speaking to the Advertiser the 77-year-old, who has cared for birds for more than 60 years, said: “It is devastating.

“My wife says I am being over-dramatic- I will tell you something, it is my life. Every day I go up to see what I have bred.”

He added as some of the birds were chicks and may have been parted from their mother it is likely they would have died.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: “Offenders entered the garden and forced entry to the shed.”

The incident happened on Beoley Road East between 7pm on Friday, April 3 and 8.20am on Saturday, April 4.

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting incident number 149 of Saturday, April 4.