Thousands join fight over cull of geese in Sandwell

Some 220 Canadian geese from Sandwell parks have been culled in three instances over the last two years.

The geese have been taken from Victoria Park in Tipton and Dartmouth Park in West Bromwich as part of attempts to keep numbers under control.

Activists reacted furiously after images showing geese being ushered into vans were posted online last year.

Thousands of people have now backed a campaign launched by Sandwell Swanwatch to stop any future culls and a petition signed by more than 4,000 has been handed to the council.

The council has agreed to review the practice in light of the protest.

Ian Carroll, who organised the petition, also called on the council to explain its actions after saying he was dissatisfied with the reasons given at the time.

He said: "They are rounding up vast numbers of birds and committing vandalism as far as we're concerned.

"One reason they gave was complaints from members of the public but a freedom of information request showed there had only been eight complaints in five years."

Sandwell Council said its culling methods were in line with Natural England, but that has not appeased the protesters.

The authority also confirmed nobody from the council was present during the process.

Mr Carroll said: "It's difficult to believe they allowed a third party to carry out the dirty work without anybody there to witness it.

"I find it sick. I don't believe that there was any justification for this cull at all.

"I don't accept they are a pest. What damage do they cause? They say they defecate on the grass, but so does every bird in the park."

Councillor Maria Crompton, in charge of the environment at the council, said: "We've tried pricking and oiling goose eggs in the past to try to reduce numbers, and continue to do so, but we find this has little effect.

"With more than 1,000 geese grazing in our parks and a pair of geese rearing anything from four to eight goslings a season, the numbers had got out of control.

"The droppings contain bacteria and may be harmful if inadvertently swallowed," she said.