A PENSIONER broke down in tears as he spoke of the moment he found four of his precious pigeons dead and several others with broken legs and wings.
Derek Patterson was devastated after cruel thugs broke into his lofts and slaughtered the birds which he says are his "whole life".
Four of his 68 racing and fantail pigeons were killed and five others were tortured and left lying on the ground with their legs and wings snapped.
The 71-year-old – who had his first stint racing pigeons in 1953, but stopped when he joined the Army – choked back the tears as he told the Mail: "I can't help breaking down, I'm sorry, they meant so much to me. They're my whole life, I come to look after them a couple of times a day, every day of the week.
"I felt sick to the stomach I suppose. I said to myself, 'I'm going to pack it all in', but then I changed my mind and thought 'why let them beat me?'" Derek – a father-of-five, grandfather-of-15, and great-granddad-of-11 – had been to care for the birds at his allotment in Chester Road, Hartlepool, on Sunday and left about 4pm to see his brother who had just got out of hospital.
MORE TOP STORIES THIS WEEK....Police station petrol bombed'Single' jobless mum fiddled £32kLightweight sentence for heavyweight thugScots try to steal monkey hanging legendWind traps baby in carThe name's Bond, Games Bond!He said: "When I came back about 9am the next day I noticed the lock was off my allotment and I thought 'oh hell they've been in'.
"I came round to the front of the loft and there were a couple of pigeons on the floor. I opened the loft door and there were some of my pigeons dead with feathers all over.
"I was shocked because I've had a few break-ins before, but they've never ever touched the pigeons until now.
"One was on the floor with a big lump out of its back and there were others laid in pain with broken wings and legs. I reckon the people who've done this have had a dog with them as well. There's no other way to describe them except as absolute scum. They must be on drugs to be able to do things like that to a bird."
One racing pigeon and three white fantail birds were killed and four other racing birds and one fantail had broken limbs.
The pigeons were nine of Derek's 68 treasured birds, 54 of which he has used to race right across England and the English Channel.
The retired docker, from the Throston area of Hartlepool, started to race the birds after he came out of the Army in the 60s and 70s, but took a break in the 80s to spend more time with his family.
He kicked off the passion again in 2000 and has had numerous winners.
Hartlepool Police are investigating the incident, which happened between 4pm on Sunday and 9am on Monday, in which a car radio was also stolen.
Anyone with information about the crime should contact PC Thomas McCleod on (01642) 302126 or Crimestoppers on (0800) 555111.
