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The owners of a Welsh owl sanctuary say they are "devastated" after two of their eagles were found shot dead.

It’s believed that the birds of prey, who lived at the Festival Park Owl Sanctuary in Ebbw Vale , were killed after a gunman broke in and shot them.

One was found with two shot wounds to the head, and the other was shot four times.

Police say it happened between 6.30pm on Friday, June 30 and 4pm on Saturday, July 1.

Owners of the sanctuary found the birds after visiting a bird show earlier that day.

Patricia Webb, who runs the sanctuary with her partner, Malcolm, said: “"It’s just a mindless action - why would you do it?

"I just don’t understand why anyone would do it. Everyone at the sanctuary is devastated.”

(Image: Squirrelbasket/Flickr)

Patricia explained that the couple didn’t call the police at first as they were not sure how the birds died.

Someone had recently given them a rabbit for the birds so it was possible they could have been poisoned.

Patricia, who runs the sanctuary with her partner Malcolm Jones, 74, said the eagles were the two largest birds out of 60 kept there.

"Someone did shoot a Tawny Owl through the fence a few years ago, but we have not had any major trouble, or experienced vandalism, over the last 20 years.

"We didn’t really realise until Saturday afternoon when we went to feed them.

"They are not birds we really bother with much - we only see them when we go to give them food," she said

"We had been at a show with our other birds before we found them."

She said whoever killed the eagles must have climbed over a fence and passed other birds before shooting them dead.

One of the birds was a Steppe eagle, of a Russian Breed, and the other was a Tawny eagle of an African breed.

Gwent Police is now asking anyone with information to come forward. If you know anything about the incident call 101 quoting log number 239 03/07/17.