A direct appeal to animal rights supporters to help in the hunt for letter bombers who have struck across the region has been made by a North Yorkshire police chief.

Police are linking a spate of letter bombs in the north of England - two of which took place in North Yorkshire and one in East Yorkshire - and believe they are the work of animal rights campaigners.

In one, a 58-year-old sheep farmer was injured by a nail bomb containing half-inch nails posted to his Ripon home.

In another, an office assistant suffered facial injuries after she opened a device in a padded envelope delivered to an estate agency in Patrington, near Hull.

Peter Walker, deputy chief constable of North Yorkshire Police, said: "Whilst I accept that animal rights is an emotive issue which arouses deep feelings, surely it does not justify the maiming of children and innocent people.

"If anyone, and I specifically include animal rights supporters in this, knows who is responsible, I would ask them to examine their consciences and consider telling us about it."

He said one injured woman was facing several weeks of uncertainty before knowing if her sight had been saved.

"It is only by extreme good fortune that there have not been other similar tragedies," he said.

"These nail bombs are lethal, and if such premises as charity shops continue to be targeted, we can only speculate as to whose child, wife, husband or granny will become the next victim."

Any calls received will be dealt with in the strictest confidence and anonymous calls can be made to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Updated: 09:11 Thursday, February 08, 2001