Reward offered as detectives hunt alpaca killer

Dawn French said the attack on her alpacas was "very upsetting, very traumatic"

A reward of £2,500 has been offered to anyone who can help detectives find a person who shot four alpacas dead with a rifle.

The animals were attacked overnight between 22 and 23 March in East Hatley, near Gamlingay, in Cambridgeshire.

Specialists have been fighting to prevent a fifth alpaca from paralysis, after it survived a gunshot wound that night.

Animal charity PETA offered the cash reward for any information that led to a conviction, branding the shootings a "cruel and callous act".

Dawn French had kept the alpaca herd in a field off Main Street for the past six years.

She said a ewe also had to be put down after it was attacked by a dog in a linked incident.

Officers from Cambridgeshire Police are investigating the crime

PETA vice president Elisa Allen said it was "imperative" that the culprit was brought to justice.

"Animal abusers are a danger to everyone," she said.

"They take their issues out on whomever is available to them – humans or other animals – and must be caught before they act again."

Cambridgeshire Police said the shootings took place between 18:00 GMT and 08:30.

Witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage from the area at the time have been urged to contact police.

Sgt Tom Nuttall, from the rural crime action team, said: "This was a highly distressing crime that has caused death and serious injury to defenceless animals.

"I would encourage anyone who knows anything about this offence to get in touch as soon as possible."