Hundreds of dead chicks were found huddled together after the stunt, which left the family farm destroyed. Some of the innocent week-old babies were found hungry and starving after habitats and enclosures were raided and opened.

Speaking to The Times, farmer Eloise McDonald said: “Some lowlife scumbag so-called ‘animal lovers’ let out 20,000 of my birds, cut all the fencing, cut gas pipes, hundreds of week-old birds dead, gasping for water and starving.” 

The incident took place in the middle of the night and left the family-run game farm in tatters. 

Police have been warned by shooting groups about the threat faced from animal rights activists and campaigners. 

Some groups have encouraged activists to stand in front of the guns to prevent animals getting killed. 

In April, vegan activists from The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) freed 9,000 pheasants in Suffolk in protest at the practice. 

The ALF also claimed responsibility for other incidents in Wiltshire and Cornwall where thousands of pheasants were released from their enclosures.

They added the aim was to dismantle the shooting industry farm by farm. 

A statement said: “With game farms being targeted across the country, many shoots may well go out of business this year. 

“We will continue to dismantle the shooting industry, farm by farm, shoot by shoot, until the end.” 

Birds are just one of many animals killed each year in hunts in one of Britain’s oldest traditions. 

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Classic hunts are still permitted in the UK, but the hound must follow a scent trail instead of an animal. 

But many people often take part in illegal hunts, meaning thousands of wild animals are killed illegally each year. 

The League Against Cruel Sports, a strictly anti-hunting group, said they received 550 reports of illegal hunts last year. 

The organisation was key in bringing about the 2004 hunting ban, where it became illegal for dogs to actively pursue an animal during a hunt. 

In a post online, PETA also slammed some forms of hunting as cruel and unnecessary, adding the sport has led to the extinction of many animal species. 

They added: “Many animals endure prolonged, painful deaths when they are injured and not killed by hunters… hunting disrupts migration and hibernation patterns and destroys families. 

“Although it was a crucial part of humans’ survival 100,000 years ago, hunting is now nothing more than a violent form of recreation that the vast majority of hunters do not need for subsistence.”

Public opinion shows 84 percent of the population are against animal hunting. 

But many have been in strong support of game bird shooting, with the chief executive of the Countryside Alliance Tim Bonner backing the practice. 

The chief has written to Home Secretary Priti Patel begging her to add animal rights extremism into the Commission for Countering Extremism. 

He told The Times: “The recent attacks on game farms are typical of animal rights extremists – violent, callous and staggeringly cruel… They should be treated as any other criminal extremist group.” 

New Prime Minister Boris Johnson backed up the remarks during his leadership contest, saying he would not tolerate extremism. 

The UK’s largest shooting organisation, The British Association for Shooting and Conservation, said: “These animal rights groups and individuals are not activists, they are criminals and should be treated as such.

“Their criminal actions impact livelihoods and jobs of hard working families and their actions actually put the welfare of these birds at risk. 

“Anyone who sees any suspicious activity should report it to the police.” 

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