ANIMAL rights campaigners are claiming victory after they say they successfully set free 1,000 chickens from a Droxford farm.

Members of the Animal Liberation Front have claimed responsibility for wrecking equipment and releasing the birds at Wallops Wood Farm.

Robin Webb, spokesman for the group, said 16 of its members had raided the farm after carrying out weeks of surveillance undercover.

"They liberated more than 1,000 battery hens using two large horse boxes which were donated to us by an ex-animal farmer," he said.

"During the raid they also caused extensive damage to much of the caging system by cutting up many of the cages and their doors."

The ALF says it smashed thousands of eggs and trashed conveyer belts.

A Hampshire police spokesman confirmed that officers were called to the farm after reports from the owner that there had been a break-in.

"A substantial amount of damage was done to the farming equipment. Some livestock was also taken but not nearly as many chickens as the ALF are claiming," said the police spokesman. We are working with the owner and treating it as a burglary."

No one from the farm operated by John Parkers Farms Ltd was available for comment.