Peterborough pet shop owner fears for her animals after vandals break in and spray paint them blue

Vandals broke into a pet shop and spray painted animals blue in what the owner has described as an act of "pure cruelty".

They also released one of the shop's parrots - an orange-winged Amazon called Charlie - who is now missing.

Among the animals spray-painted blue was his fellow parrot, Buddy, who is now being nursed back to health by owner Rebecca Cave.

She said she was concerned about his welfare following the stress of the incident at Caves Pet Shop on Thursday, as well as how the toxins in the paint might affect him.

She said: "It's a double whammy: you've been burgled and they've attacked the animals as well.

"That's what really gets me so angry and frustrated. There's just no need for it. Burgle me, that's bad enough, but to do that to the animals was overstepping the mark."

Ms Cave is also worried for the missing parrot Charlie.

She said: "With the weather like it is, I’m concerned whether he’ll survive or not. As he gets hungry, he’ll hopefully land on bird tables."

Ms Cave, who has run the shop for 15 years, said the burglars managed to avoid her CCTV.

"They should be ashamed, but I don't think they will be. They will probably think it's funny. It's just despicable. It's just cruelty, pure cruelty."

Cambridgeshire Police have confirmed officers are investigating the break-in, and have asked for anyone with information to contact them.