A devastated pet owner is appealing for help to trace her "beautiful" sibling ferrets after they were stolen from her back garden.

Caroline Kingsnorth said she and her husband Rob were at home in Brishing Lane, Maidstone, when thieves reportedly entered their garden and swiped the animals – called Boris and Heidi – from their hutch.

She said: "Myself and Rob were at home on the night they were stolen.

"We had a knock on the door around the time of 10pm from a neighbour saying our gate was wide open and the ferret hutch doors were also wide open.

"Rob had only returned home shortly before this time and had shut and chained up our gate and saw the ferrets were in their hutch.

"Ferrets are nocturnal so they are very active at night."

Mrs Kingsnorth said the ferrets, which are two years old and are brother and sister, were taken on Wednesday, July 1.

Boris has polecat colouring, Mrs Kingsnorth said, while Heidi is an albino ferret with red eyes.

"We've had Boris and Heidi since they were eight-week-old kits," she said.

"They're very tame animals as they were handled everyday, even by our two young daughters. Some people work ferrets to hunt for rabbits, these were never used as that – they were family pets."

Mrs Kingsnorth said Boris's colouring can darken at different times of the year.

Heidi is "slightly larger" than shown in the photograph too, she added.

When asked how the ordeal had affected her and her family, Mrs Kingsnorth said: "It has upset us very much as a family, especially my daughters – they were loved very much."

She added: "We feel very hurt and angry that someone would do something like this.

"It would mean everything for us to have them back, as they were loved very much. All we want is for them to be returned unharmed.

"If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of these beautiful ferrets, please phone 07546 753770 or 07515 568839."

Police have been informed.

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