Yobs kill family's beloved pet peacock with slingshots and catapults - before contacting owners to say 'You are going to be next'

Yobs killed a family's beloved pet peacock by shooting it more than 20 times with slingshots and catapults, before contacting the owners to warn them, 'you are going to be next'.

A family was left in tears after watching River their peacock, which they rescued from his abusive previous owners, be brutally killed by the sadistic group on CCTV footage.

River's owner, Alison Carter, 57, posted the footage from a neighbour's CCTV camera of the suspects on Facebook, showing five boys and one girl firing at the peacock who was perched in a tree.   

One member of the twisted group messaged her daughter Macey, 23, threatening: 'Your peacock is 6ft under and you are going to be next'.

Alison and her family rescued River (pictured) nearly six years ago after he had been kept in a small box without sunlight and was found 'featherless and frightened'

Now, their beloved pet has been killed by a group of yobs who they caught shooting at River with catapults

'Devastated' owner, Alison Carter (pictured), 57, said River was 'part of the family', behaved 'like a dog' and would have even 'trusted' the group of strangers who killed him

In the sickening footage three of the boys are seen pelting River more than 20 times from the road before climbing over the fence on to the roof of a private property to carry on their assault on the innocent bird.

A petrified and injured River, who Alison says would have 'trusted' the group of strangers, is seen falling out of the tree, flapping around in distress and cowering in a corner.

Appallingly, the gang continue to aim at him from the rooftop before two dash forward, grab River by his wings and hold him up as a trophy, before one rips out his feathers.

They flee like cowards after trying to hide his blood-soaked body in the corner behind some wood.

Alison, 57, said 'I was devastated, and I still am. He was part of the family, he played and walked around with our dog Ziggy.

'He was like a dog - he would follow you around, he would come into the kitchen, he would have trusted them.'

They rescued River nearly six years ago after he had been kept in a small box without sunlight and was found 'featherless and frightened'.

Alison said: 'We built up the trust and he became tame, friendly and happy for his freedom.'

They have told the police and have the names of the suspects after sharing a snapshot of the CCTV footage on Facebook.

Her daughter Macey, who was sent the threat from one of the group members, said: 'We now don't feel safe.'

They have stopped their five other peacocks from roaming around freely because they are worried the offenders will return.

After Alison posted the sickening footage of Facebook, one member of the twisted group messaged her daughter Macey (pictured), 23, threatening: 'Your peacock is 6ft under and you are going to be next'

In the video a petrified and injured River is seen falling from the tree, flapping around in distress and cowering in the corner

The CCTV footage shows them trying to hide River's blood-soaked body in the corner behind some wood before the group flee like cowards

Alison says the day after River was killed, someone fired a catapult at one of her dogs, leaving a wound which drew blood.

Macey added: 'It would be upsetting if River died on his own terms, but it was the fact he was brutally killed that makes it even worse.

'He would come up to you and feed out of your hand, he was so tame and friendly - it was an evil act that didn't need to happen at all.'

They said the community has rallied round and is just as appalled as them.

Alkson said: 'Everyone knew him - he was a really big character. We hope the police do something - catapults are a deadly weapon.

'He's not just a bird, he's part of the family. These people need to be punished, something needs to be done now.'

It comes after two catapults and 62 ball bearings were seized from two boys firing at wildlife in nearby Paddock Wood.

On social media, someone wrote: 'Don't blur their faces. These are the same horrible little creatures that come along shooting at our cats and dogs just along the road from here.

'Let them be seen. The police have been called whilst they are actually doing this stuff and they never show.'

Another commented: 'Deviants like this start with insects and such, then larger animals and then move on to attacking humans.'