A MAN whose passion for birds of prey gives him a purpose in life has been devastated by the theft of several of his prized birds.

Leslie Copeland woke on Wednesday morning to discover the aviaries in his garden had been raided and birds worth thousands of pounds taken.

Thieves made off with three adult Harris hawks, a fledgling Harris hawk, two Lannar falcons and a barn owl from his semidetached house in Windermere Road, Seaham, County Durham, between 9pm on Tuesday and 6.30am on Wednesday. A falconry glove and two perches were also stolen.

Mr Copeland, 53, said last night: “I am devastated. These birds are what keeps me going every day. I suffer from arthritis and chronic pulmonary disease.”

Mr Copeland said his birds were locked away in two aviaries outside his bedroom window.

He said: “Whoever took the birds knew what they were doing, because it would be a brave person to go into a cage with them. Two of the Harris hawks had a fledgling and the falcons were a pair with three eggs.”

PC Jack Hamilton, of Seaham, said: “The victim is totally bereft and feels his life’s work has been taken from him. He believes the birds were taken by someone who knew what they were doing as they can be dangerous and noisy if handled incorrectly.”

PC Hamilton appealed for witnesses to contact him on 0345-60-60-365, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800-555-111.