A London farm is pleading for 11 stolen piglets to be returned safely to their mothers before they die.

Staff at Surrey Docks Farm in Rotherhithe, southeast London, are desperate to find the two-week-old piglets, who were snatched from two sows overnight on Friday.

Farm manager Gemma Hooper, 33, says the young animals need round-the-clock feeding from their mothers, and that they will struggle to survive after 24 hours.

“They might be able to survive a little bit longer but they are going to start getting really weak,” she told The Independent.

"I'm devastated. We are a community farm that aims to educate city people about livestock and farming practices.

“The piglets have been such a popular attraction for our visitors, and our team of volunteers, trainees and youth clubs have all loved watching them grow and develop.

“We're shocked that anyone could do this and are so worried about the piglets.”

Police are investigating after 11 pigs were stolen from Surrey Docks Farm in Rotherhithe, southeast London

The animals were last seen when Gemma locked up the farm at 7pm on Friday, 14 September, and they were gone when it reopened at 8am the following morning.

Farm chairman Brett Bennett-Smith, 38, said there were no signs of forced entry or a break-in, and that nothing had been picked up on CCTV cameras as whoever stole the piglets had avoided the main routes.

“It’s weird; whoever stole them hasn’t left a mess and they’ve shut everything behind them and everything was put back tidily as though they weren’t in a hurry,” he said.

“Rotherhithe Street is really quiet so for someone to have stolen 11 squealing piglets there would have been a lot of noise.”

Brett added that it was odd only half of the piglets had been stolen from the farm’s two sows, Winnie and Marmalade.

“We just want them back safely for their wellbeing and so they can be reunited with their mothers,” he added.

Eleven piglets were stolen from Surrey Docks Farm in Rotherhithe, southeast London

“If they aren’t reunited with their mothers within the next couple of days they will eventually die.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "Police were called at 11.45am on Saturday, 15 September, to reports of a burglary at an address on Rotherhithe Street, SE16.

"Officers spoke to the victim who told them that 11 piglets had been stolen.

"No arrests. Enquiries continue."