I WAS in my garden last night enjoying the summer sunshine when a large wood pigeon flew on to my rooftop in the most frantic state.

What happened next turned my stomach. Making the most terrible screech, masses of feathers rained down over me as it plummeted flightless to the ground landing under my bird table obviously in great shock and distress. It was writhing in agony and desperate to save itself, and I was absolutely helpless as I didn’t know what had happened to it. It then struggled for three to four minutes before dying. It became very clear what had happened, it had been shot.

What a shocking, senseless act of cruelty on a defenceless creature just enjoying itself on a beautiful summer evening. I feed the birds every day of the year. My small garden and bird table are welcome to an array of local wild birds from goldfinches though to wood pigeons. They feed, drink, bathe, shelter and give my son and I great pleasure every single day.

That bird felt safe in my garden and trusted me, what a payback.

If people are so desperate to use a gun, firstly grow up and be a man, and secondly maybe try going to Afghanistan to defend something worthwhile as my nephew does instead of recklessly destroying declining wildlife for ‘sport’.

S Berry