A REWARD of £1,000 is being offered after three peregrine falcon chicks were killed.

The birds, an officially protected species, were shot in their nest, which was perched 70ft high on a rock face in a working quarry.

Workers at the quarry near Leyburn, had been keeping a protective eye on the six-week-old chicks and their mother.

And when they failed to see them hopping around on the rock ledges they used a cherry-picker to take a look at the nest and found the dead chicks.

"The mother bird was still present and was obviously quite distraught," said one quarry worker.

The men had been watching the nest from a distance since mid-March and had been taking a great interest in the development of the chicks. Three other youngsters were raised there successfully last year.

Quarry director Stuart Keighley said: "The people here are devastated that they have been killed and are out to get the culprits.

"Understandably they are worried about the precise location of the nest becoming known because of people wanting to steal eggs or, worse still, killing the birds."

Police are now investigating the shooting. The RSPB described the incident as terrible wildlife vandalism.

RSPB spokesman David Hirst said: "These are very rare and special birds and there are probably only a dozen pairs in the Dales. This mindless killing is appalling vandalism and I feel very sad for the people at the quarry who have done their best to protect them."

The peregrine falcon is one of the fastest birds in the world, capable of reaching speeds of 112mph when diving for its prey.

It is given special protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Anyone caught harming the birds can face a fine of up to £5,000 per bird and a prison sentence of up to 12 months.

The quarry, on land leased from the Bolton Estates, is operated by RMC Aggregates. The company has put up a £1,000 for information that leads to a successful prosecution of the culprit.