Ref. 73169-54Vandals targeted a Swindon animal haven by blowing up its post box with a powerful firework.

The post box, which is by the cow field at the Swindon and District Animal Haven in Wootton Bassett, was completely destroyed in the blast on Friday.

And John Warwick who runs the haven, fears that whoever carried out the explosion could have had more sinister intentions than playing a prank.

"We are situated on a deserted road so whoever did this would have had to drive down here deliberately," he said.

"Obviously pranksters are getting older because they can drive.

"It must have been a pretty powerful firework to do the damage that it did.

"It's wrong to do something like this to an animal sanctuary.

"I just hope we are not being deliberately targeted because we are an animal sanctuary and that nobody actually wanted to harm the animals."

The sanctuary is used to house animals that have been abandoned, abused or whose owners can no longer look after them.

They include a herd of cows that John says were left terrified after the powerful explosion in the post box.

"It happened at about 5.30 in the evening when it was still daylight.

"I just heard this really big bang and came out and the post box had been blown up all over the place.

"The wood was completely charred, the top was blown off and it smelled of fireworks so it was obvious what had happened.

"We actually use the box to receive donations from people and until we've built a new one there won't be anywhere for the donations to be delivered to."

Diana Milne