Dead animals dumped outside community shop
People in the Hampshire village have spoken of their horror
Last updated 17th Mar 2024
WARNING: This story contains descriptions readers may find distressing
A police investigation has been launched after "shocked" shop workers found scores of dead animals scattered in front of the building.
Around 50 dead hares, a barn owl and a kestrel were discovered dumped outside Broughton Community Shop in Hampshire on Friday morning.
The barn owl and kestrel were "stuffed" on the door handles and blood was smeared on the windows, the shop's treasurer said.
The shop wrote on its Facebook page: "Thank you all for popping in, messaging and phoning to make sure we are ok. We are ok, shocked but ok."
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police said the animals were collected and officers are investigating what happened.
The force is trying to identify the owners of a silver Suzuki Grand Vitara.
Mike Hensman, treasurer of the volunteer-run shop, told the PA news agency: "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.
"The rest of the team came in to hose it all down and get rid of all the bodies."
He added: "People say 'oh it's a warning', I don't know what it is.
"It obviously floats someone's boat, I can't possibly try and imagine what goes through these people's minds."
It's not the first time the area has been targeted.
Carcasses of pheasants, chickens and hares were dumped outside Awbridge Primary School, around seven miles from Broughton, last month.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police had launched an investigation but it stalled due to a lack of lines of enquiry.
Officers investigating the latest discovery say they're keeping an "open mind" about possible links.