Cleveland Police believe owner Cliff Spedding may have been the target of a series of attacks after someone also took rare Shell ducks from his sanctuary and, in a separate incident, tried to set fire to it.

Mr Spedding, 42, has owned the sanctuary in Loftus, east Cleveland, for more than 20 years.

He fears that Devil worshippers may be responsible after the heads of the two wallabies were taken from the scene.

Whoever it is is still out there and we are concerned that they might strike again

Community Sergeant Rachel Dick

Mr Spedding told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that rumours of Devil worshipping were spreading in the area.

He said: "I tried to make myself believe that an animal was responsible but I knew it was not.

"It just wouldn't have been so bad if a dog did it.

"It could be some kind of devil worship, I just don't know, maybe they drink the animals' blood.

"I found two crosses made out of wood tied together and stuck into the ground."

In the last fortnight sheep have been attacked and killed with an axe at a farm in nearby Guisborough, he added.

On Monday, 90 pigeons perished in a blaze at a racing club in Liverton Mines, east Cleveland.

'Evil person'

But Peter Gilmore, High Priest of the Church of Satan in New York, told BBC Radio 4 that satanists would not kill animals.

"Satanists do not believe in the Christian God or the Devil, there is no external deity for us.

"We are self worshippers so we can't sacrifice things - there is nothing or no-one to sacrifice to."

Community Sergeant Rachel Dick told BBC Radio 4: "We are absolutely sickened and shocked by what has happened.

"It's a sick, evil person and we have no idea at the moment who is actually responsible for this crime.

"Whoever it is is still out there and we are concerned that they might strike again."

Police constable Eddie O'Hara, of Cleveland Police, said: "Mr Spedding is a popular lad in the community and everyone knows the work that he does.

"He is totally devastated."