CHILDREN in Ramsey St Mary’s have been left distraught after the sudden and unexplained disappearance of their school’s chickens.

Youngsters at Ashbeach Primary School discovered their two pet hens - Biff and Chip - were missing on Friday, February 18, after a school assembly.

Posters put up during the half-term holiday appealing for information about the missing birds were mysteriously taken down, and fears are growing the pupils will never see them again.

Headteacher Shirley Stapleton said: “The children are very upset. One of the hens is a robust, sturdy lady. Her partner died before Christmas and we got a replacement for her.

“They were both very popular with the children. They used to run around the school grounds and produce eggs. The children would find the eggs and bring them in for us.

“On that day all the school was together in the hall from 2.30pm. Nobody was outside at all, not until 3pm. When the children went out then to round them up.”

There are no signs pointing to the possibility of a fox attack and so staff fear the chickens have either wandered off on to a neighbouring property and not been returned, or were taken.

Biff is a buff Orpington hen with light-coloured feathers and Chip is slightly smaller with darker feathers.

INFORMATION: Anyone with information regarding the chickens should call the school office on 01480 844262 or contact The Hunts Post on 01480 411481.