Dozens of rescued chickens escaped from their pen after burglars broke into a charity's grounds south of Norwich.

Units at Little Hen Rescue, based in Greenways, Flordon, were broken into between 6.30pm on Saturday and 7.45am on Sunday. About �150 in cash was taken, along with a petrol strimmer worth about �150 – and about 50 of the organisation's chickens managed to escape from a pen after the break-in.

On Saturday, the organisation had rescued 650 hens from a farm in the Midlands area and it was when volunteers came to set up for a rehoming day on Sunday morning that they found what had happened.

The volunteers have said that they were able to account for all of the chickens – but the organisation believes the goods taken and the damage caused will leave them more than �400 out of pocket. Jeff Anderson, secretary of Little Hen Rescue, said: 'The thieves broke into our portable building, ransacked the office and stole approximately �150 in cash.

'They then cut through various padlocks elsewhere on site causing nearly �100 worth of damage before making off with a petrol strimmer valued at about �150. This is a devastating financial blow to a group that survives on donations and people's goodwill.

'It has cost us about �400 and to us that is an enormous amount of money to lose. The cash that was stolen would have been used for general maintenance and to buy medicines and food for the hens.'

Little Hen Rescue is a volunteer-run not-for-profit organisation that was started in 2008. It buys factory hens who are coming to the end of their commercial life from farmers to save the hens from slaughter and then rehomes them to give them a better life.

Since rescuing the 650 hens on Saturday, Little Hen Rescue has rehomed about 250 of them.

Anybody who would like to provide a home for one or more of the hens should email littlehenrescue@hotmail.com

A police spokesman confirmed officers were investigating the break-in and urged anyone with information to contact police on 0845 4564567.

Are you raising money for a good cause? Call Emma Knights on 01603 772428 or email emma.knights@archant.co.uk