LIFELONG canary enthusiast John Else was this week trying to come to terms with the devastating loss of more than 50 of his prized birds, stolen on Monday night from his garden aviary while he and his wife Kathleen were asleep in their Porlock home.

“I’m absolutely broken-hearted and admit that I sobbed when I went to the aviary on Monday morning and found I had only 21 birds left out of 75,” 82-year-old John said.

“I had my first canary when I was seven and have been breeding them ever since. I never sell any and they have been an important part of my life for as long as I can remember.

“I am at an absolute loss to know why someone would do something like this. Canaries are not valuable – they’re not worth more than £20 each – but to me they are priceless. They are lovely friendly little birds with a beautiful song and you can’t help getting fond of them.

“My father was in the Navy during the war and took part in the D-Day landings. After the war he bought some canaries and built himself a little aviary. I helped him look after them and got absolutely hooked. I still am.

“I have to confess I did have a favourite – a bird that was damaged in the nest and couldn’t fly, but she could jump up on a perch next to me and became very special. She would have no market value but they even took that little bird.”

A retired bank manager, John believes the canaries must have been stolen to order by someone who knew how to handle birds and had carefully planned the raid beforehand. “You can’t see the aviary from the street and not many people even know I keep birds as a hobby,” he said.

“It is still a mystery how the thieves got in and out of the garden – nothing seems to have been disturbed or damaged. I have alerted local pet shops in case they are offered any of my birds, but I’m not very optimistic.”

The thefts came two days after John had been told of the death of his brother. “It’s been a pretty dreadful week,” he said. “Looking after the birds is always a comfort when things are bad, but now that’s gone, too.”

Avon and Somerset police ask anyone who witnessed anything suspicious on Monday night, or has heard of canaries for sale, to contact them quoting reference number 522 102 7758.

For the full story see this week’s West Somerset Free Press.