Hunt for children after rabbits killed in park

Tom Burgess
BBC News, North East and Cumbria
Sunderland City Council Five young children at a grassy slope in a park near trees. Three stand on a path and two are on the slope. All have their faces blurred.Sunderland City Council
Sunderland Council released a picture and urging the people in it, and their parents, to come forward

Police and council teams investigating the killing of animals in a park are trying to locate five children seen in the area.

A group of people were seen committing acts of cruelty to rabbits in Barnes Park, Sunderland, on 14 June, but they fled the area before police arrived.

Northumbria Police said officers are looking to speak to anybody who might have information, while Sunderland City Council has released a photo of a group of youths who they would like to trace.

The local authority vowed "action will be taken against those responsible" for the attacks.

Footage of three children on off-road bikes in the park has also been released as part of the investigation.

A council spokesperson said: "There is no excuse for this behaviour.

"Our parks are for everyone, not for fear, cruelty or destruction."

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