Police are hunting a 'family' of suspected shoplifters after £350 worth of stuffed toys were stolen from a wildlife park gift shop in Hayle on Saturday.

The culprits were caught on CCTV at the Paradise Park Wildlife Sanctuary at around 2.30pm.

The park, which is home to over 1,200 birds and animals, issued a statement on Facebook in the hopes of locating the thieves.

It said over £350 of goods were stolen from the gift shop - including a large scarlet macaw toy and soft toy penguin.

Staff say how the ordeal has "ruined" their hard work. A Facebook post said police are investigating.

It said: "I wonder if everyone really knew what it takes to run Paradise Park? 

"With our 1,200 fantastic birds and animals that the majority are really so very endangered we hold the world population of a couple of species and the amount of conservation work we do in so many various places across the world.

"Not forgetting the 60 staff that we rely on to make it all work.

"Up until today when one family ruins it all for all of us here at the Park.

"Please have a look at the pictures below and if any of you would do me the curtesy of sharing them I would be most grateful and even better if you have happened to have seen them then I want to know straight away please.

"You will see a man in a purple-coloured top, holding a large scarlet macaw. He did not pay for it and we are sure that he had other stuff too as you will see him with what is a soft toy penguin. 

''There is a younger girl who has a purple pad in her hand stood next to the man she did not pay for that either.

"Another two men in the black tops are with them as well as other females.

"We think that they took in the region of £350 worth of stock so as you will understand that is a lot for us to loose let alone the anguish the shop staff have felt this afternoon after we discovered it.

"If nothing else I would like other businesses in the area to have seen these pictures so they can keep an eye out and stop any more theft."

After an outpouring of support and the post being shared over 8,500 times, the park issued an update saying that the police had been informed.

It said: "Thank you all so much for your words of support, we have found it very heartening.

"We have the police looking into it and hope that something might come out of it. 

''We have seen some posts about setting up a funding page but we really are not looking to make this into something that makes funds for us.

"The main reason for me posting this is to make other people aware of this group and hopefully stop any future loss to local companies.

"If out of it we get the stock back more the better but that is all we would want.

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Police are investigating a theft from the gift shop at Paradise Park, Hayle.

“Various items, including two large bird ornaments and a soft toy penguin, were taken.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police online or via 101, quoting crime reference 50230233500.