A HOLIDAY park resident has described how children watched on in horror as flocks of Canada geese plunged into Winsford Flash after being shot from the sky.

Valerie Poole, who has owned a caravan on Lakeside Park for 17 years, has watched the culls occur for the past two weekends along the peaceful stretch of water.

She said: “It’s terrible. We all love the Canada Geese to bits.

“Everyone on the campsite is up in arms about it. It’s happening every Saturday night.

“They’re coming and shooting all the geese. Just last Saturday they’ve been again and shot two.

“I saw one man shoot one and it landed in the water but wasn’t dead. He waded into the water and snapped its neck.

“There are children watching while all this happened.

“There used to be a man came and kept numbers down in a humane way, by removing eggs from their nests.

“Now the people concerned are giving permission for the geese to be culled by shooting them in broad daylight over the lake, where all our children and grandchildren can view the awful sight of these wonderful harmless birds, falling from the sky on a warm summer evening.”

Natural England guidelines state that ‘in most urban areas, shooting will not be possible because of public safety considerations’.

Police confirmed they had received phone calls about the shootings, but that no offence had been committed.

It is legal for geese to be shot all year round in England and Wales as long as an appropriate license is held by the landowner.

A police spokesman said: “The only offence would be a civil matter of trespass if the person shooting was on land without permission of the landowner. And that wouldn't be a police matter.”

Kate Fowler, from Animal Aid, said Canada Geese could not be blamed for using habitats – whether natural or fabricated – that perfectly suit their needs.

She added: “While there can be no legitimate reason for killing them, if individual flocks are not tolerated, non-lethal measures are available.

“As a last resort, egg control – soaking eggs in paraffin – can reduce numbers but this must be done within days of being laid, and one egg must be left to prevent another clutch being laid.

“Geese often mate for life and can pine to death at the loss of their partner. Killing them for being a nuisance is intolerant and inhumane.”