TODDLERS have been left heartbroken after vandals smashed up animal hutches and injured a guinea pig.

And their beloved rabbit Toby - a female - vanished after the attack sparking fears she may have been stolen.

Two hutches for the rabbit and the nursery's two six-month-old guinea pigs were destroyed in the attack at Poppies Nursery, in Pontypool. On closer investigation staff discovered one of the guinea pigs had been injured, and that Toby, who had been at the nursery for five years, was missing.

Owner Jan Darlington believes the rabbit may have been taken by the vandals.

She said: "When we came to open up in the morning we could see that the rabbit hutch was open and the rabbit was gone.

"The guinea pig hutch had been demolished and they were out - one was running hysterically around and the other was trapped under the hay rack and had blood on her back. "We feel that someone could even have taken the rabbit away, because she was really big and overweight.

"It was enough for her just to walk down the run. She was really lazy so we don't think she could have gone much further than the grounds. "We got her five years ago from Greenmeadow so she was quite old, though I can't put an age on her.

"And Tim and Rodney the guinea pigs were so distressed that they only started eating again yesterday.

"We were quite surprised they were still alive because shock can often kill a guinea pig.

"The children here are just so gutted. They help clean the hutches out every day and feed the rabbit and so on.

"This is a beautiful spot for a nursery and it makes us sad that someone could come in and do this. It's just a sickening thing to do."

PC Andy Cleaton, crime and disorder reduction officer at Pontypool police, said: "There have been previous incidents of vandalism at the nursery, including a vehicle being damaged earlier this month.

"Officers are aware of the problems and will be paying particular attention to the nursery in their patrols."