Rural crime officers are now investigating the theft and appealing for witnesses to come forward to assist enquiries.

FIRE crews and the police were called to an 'out of control' unattended bonfire in Dorset yesterday afternoon.

The chicken was killed as part of the attack and, following enquiries, a 20-year-old man from Verwood was interviewed for animal cruelty offences, according to Dorset Police’s rural crime team.

An injured driver was trapped in a van after a collision with a tractor in Bridport late last night (Tuesday).

A man has had 15 guns removed by police after reports of illegal hunting in west Dorset.

Police in Dorset have recovered a quad bike and are seeking the owner.

A criminal gang which uses explosives to get to tens of thousands of pounds of sacred silver is feared to be targeting churches across the country.

TWO men are sought after £200 worth of scrap metal was stolen from a Dorset village.

A telehandler caught fire in a field near Dorchester on Saturday morning (May 6).

They wrote: “PCSO Vicky from the Poole Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) has been on high visibility mobile patrols in Whitecliff this evening.

ECO activists descended on a Dorset oil farm on bank holiday Monday demanding its licence to operate be revoked.

Officers from the Rural Crime Team also say there's been a couple of similar thefts in recent months.

TWO electric bikes worth thousands were stolen in a burglary in the early hours of the morning.

The van was later recovered on a farm in the area and the Ford was later found in Holmead Walk in Puddletown.

They were able to contact the farmer and the necessary treatment was given to those animals, according to the rural crime team.