Birds shot and killed in Merseyside park

Police and the RSPCA are appealing for information following two incidents of birds being shot and killed by air weapons in Stadt Moers Park at Whiston, Merseyside, within the space of a week.

A Mute Swan was shot on Tuesday 28 April and found with a pellet lodged in its head and had to be put down. The incident was not reported to police at the time, but the RSPCA is investigating. Then, on Monday 4 May, a park ranger informed officers that a Eurasian Coot had been found dead with a pellet lodged in its thigh.

The shot Mute Swan sadly had to be put to sleep due to the severity of its injuries(RSPCA).

Enquiries are ongoing to identify those responsible. Community Policing Inspector Peter Rexwinkel said: "These are appalling incidents to have taken place in one of our parks, and have understandably caused anger within the community. I'd implore anyone with information to do the right thing and come forward.

"We have been and will continue to provide extra attention to the park, with this issue and our regular patrols to ensure that social distancing guidelines are being respected. You may have seen suspicious individuals or groups in the park when carrying out your daily exercise in recent days, or indeed witnessed these despicable acts of cruelty.

"Tell us what you know, pass on any images or footage you may have captured, and we can remove these threats from a valuable place for peace and relaxation."

A spokesperson for the RSPCA added: "These are concerning incidents. It’s an offence to kill or injure a wild bird, not to mention a really cruel and horrible thing to do. We're appealing to anyone who may have any information, no matter how small, to get in touch. They can leave a message in complete confidence by contacting the police or ourselves on 0300 1234 999."