by Chris Hunter

chunter@thekmgroup.co.uk

Hay thieves have struck again, swiping 104 bales from a Kent Wildlife Trust Nature reserve.

The theft of the £600 worth of hay happened at Marden Meadow near Staplehurst.

It follows an incident last month in which 40 bales were stolen from the Museum of Kent Life in Sandling.

Trust staff only found out about the theft last week when a resident living near the site noticed the gate to the site had been left open for a long time.

Low hay yields across Kent this year and lack of left-over stock due to a wet summer last year have caused the price of hay and straw to rocket by 20 to 40 per cent, and prompted police to warn of an increasing risk of theft.

The trust’s Weald area warden, Matt Hayes, called the theft a “callous act” and said the thieves would have taken some time to load up a truck or trailer within easy view of the Marden Road.

He added: “We now need to buy our hay to keep our livestock fed through the winter months.”

If anyone has seen suspicious activity at the reserve, call the trust on 01622 662012 or emailmatt.hayes@kentwildlife.org.uk