Cllr Guy Smith returned to the shelter at Oliver's Mount yesterday morning to find the culprits had cut through the barbed wire surrounding the site and set bales of straw alight.

A 10ft long iron bar and pellets from a ball bearing gun were also found near the scene, but there were no signs that his donkeys had been harmed.

He said: "They must have been armed with cutters to cut through the barbed wire and get to the shelter.

"They have tried to set fire to bales of hay and when that has failed it looks as though they have carried at least two bales nearby and burnt it there.

"When I got here this morning it looked like an animal carcass.

"It is strange they would start a fire because surely that would draw attention to themselves.

"It doesn't make sense."

Cllr Smith added: "We have had quite a stressful period this year with various planning issues regarding the shelter and it was only put up in April.

"This is another unnecessary nuisance."

Anyone with information can contact the police on 0845 6060247.

The incident is not the first time Cllr Smith's donkeys have been in the line of fire. In 2005 one of his animals escaped unscathed after being attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier on the South Bay beach.

And three years earlier two donkeys also owned by Cllr Smith were left with leg and facial injuries following a similar attack.