'It's just horrid': Hampshire community shop manager where dead animals dumped asks 'why?'
Warning: This report by Christine Alsford and article contains details and images readers may find distressing
Horrified workers have been asking 'why?' after 50 wild animals were left scattered outside their community shop.
The dead animals were discovered in front of Broughton Community Shop in Hampshire on Friday morning.
“I wish I knew why. What have we done?” said Broughton Community Shop manager, Sue Dawkins.
“What's the meaning behind it, why would they do this to these poor animals? The owl and the sparrowhawk? It's just horrid, horrid, horrid. Horrid to see, and why were we targeted?”
Ms Dawkins said the village is “deeply upset” but that volunteers were “exceptional” to clear up the macabre scene and carry on.
The barn owl and raptor were “stuffed on the handles of the shop” and “they'd thrown the bodies up against the windows and there was blood everywhere,” the shop’s treasurer, Mike Hensman said.
"One of our guys who comes in the morning to get the papers and open the shop found them.”
“He’s a guy who has been around a bit, he shoots, and he was quite taken aback when he saw all this mess and carnage.”
“I've no idea why people do this,” he said, “It's sad.”
Mr Hensman doesn't think it was personal, “No, I doubt it. It's just a simple little shop in the village, not going out to upset people, no reason at all to know why.”
He says the coffee shop is run mostly by volunteers, and he hopes the perpetrators will be caught.
There has been outrage on social media after images of the carnage were put online.
Conservationist Chris Packham, who lives in the New Forest, said on X that it was 'horrific.'
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police said the animals were collected and officers are investigating what happened.
The force initially said they were trying to trace the owners of a silver Suzuki Grand Vitara.
On Sunday morning they confirmed the burnt out vehicle had been located.
No arrests have been made, but officers said they would remain in the area to provide reassurance to local residents.
They urged anyone with relevant CCTV or dashcam footage to contact them.
It is the second time in recent weeks that the local area has been targeted.
Carcasses of pheasants, chickens, and hares were dumped outside Awbridge Primary School, around six miles from Broughton, last month.
Hampshire Police say they are keeping an open mind whether the incidents are connected.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…