PIGEON fanciers have been left in a flap after their beloved birds were stolen in a raid by cruel thieves.

The family were distraught after five pet pigeons were plucked from their doo hut.

Angela Munro, 30, of Fife Road in Greenock, was disgusted when she discovered the theft.

She said: "We came back on Tuesday afternoon and found the hinges had been taken off the garden shed, a strimmer had been stolen and the bird hut was ripped open." The mum-of-two's partner Steven McHenery bought the birds, and their children Thomas, 10, and seven-year-old Misha are very fond of them.

She said: "The kids are really upset because one of the birds was theirs.

"Squeak has a broken wing and we had put a splint on it.

"I'm quite angry someone had done this. It's just terrible. You go to work and you come back and you find your hut's been broken into.

"They've stolen them to sell them on or keep them for themselves." Two of the pigeons are a reddish-brown colour, one is white, another is black and Squeak is black/grey. Birdseed and a couple of eggs were also taken.

But two pigeons who were nesting on eggs managed to escape the thieves' clutches.

Police believe the culprits struck between 10pm on Monday and 4.30pm on Tuesday.

Anyone with information should call Greenock police on 492500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.