Hundreds of animals were put at risk after field gates and padlocks were stolen from a nature reserve.

A walker raised the alarm after the theft took place at the Nashenden Down nature reserve near Rochester over the weekend.

Staff from Kent Wildlife Trust, which manages the site, acted quickly at around 8am on Saturday to install temporary measures ensuring more than 200 sheep and pigs did not escape and were not injured.

The charity estimates it will cost about £10,000 to replace a total of nine gates, 10 padlocks and chains, 10 sheep hurdles and a sheep handling system.

Trust area manager Alison Ruyter said: "We are grateful for that early morning call, we got to our animals before they escaped or were injured, it could have been so much worse.

"This year alone we’ve had to deal with equipment stolen, dog attacks, fly-tipping and threatening behaviour towards staff and volunteers.

"It’s absolutely unacceptable and causes huge distress to the team, our animals and costs us thousands of pounds, it simply has to stop.’’

Nashenden Down is a 55-hectare (140-acre) nature reserve on the southern outskirts of Rochester in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Kent Wildlife Trust manages more than 700 domestic animals across 50 reserves including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and ponies which play a pivotal role in creating wildlife rich habitats and minimising human intervention.

Police have been approached for a comment.