Happy ending for little Laila and her chickens

Laila Henry and her chickens. Credit: ITV News Anglia.

A six-year-old girl left devastated after thieves stole and smashed her chicken's eggs says she "cried with joy" after kind strangers raised more than £1,000 for her.

Little Laila Henry did not have enough money to feed her chickens after the eggs - which she sold from a stand at her home in Hessett near Bury St Edmunds - was targeted.

For two two, up to 30 eggs a day were stolen and smashed.

A family friend set up a fundraising page to help the schoolgirl recover her losses.

But it has been more successful than they expected - raising more than £1,200 in just a couple of weeks.

Some of the money has already been used to buy the chickens a polytunnel because they need to be kept inside to protect them from the recent bird flu outbreak.

Laila has also ordered enough food to last the next two months - and ordered 30 more chickens so she can expand her business.

Laila's mum Katie Mitcham-Henry said one message from an 84-year-old had her in tears.

The little girl said she would not be put off selling her eggs - and now has even more reason to keep going.

Six-year-old's sadness after hens' eggs are stolen.