Barrow couple 'horrified' to see pigeon shot off a wall

Elisabeth Ashleigh, from Bardsea Bird Sanctuary, was on call when they brought the injured bird to her and explained what they had just witnessed.

The pair were driving close to Juno Street when they spotted the pigeon on the wall before it was shot off by some kind of bullet, said Elisabeth.

READ MORE: Pigeon shot through crop in Barrow came to man's window 'for help'

Elisabeth said: "Luckily, the couple were driving quite slow and just managed to witness the pigeon being blown off the wall - they were horrified.

"They didn't manage to see the shooter but people often do these things from afar from a window or garden.

"After the impact, the bird fell onto the floor. It's doing well so far however there is an entrance wound to the side consistent with a shooting so I will have to try to find the bullet soon or else it may die of lead poisoning."

At least three pigeons have been brought to Bardsea Bird Sanctuary in the last four months. 

Earlier in March a pigeon appeared to come to a man's window 'for help' after it was shot in the crop on Ainslie Street.

Police also appealed for witnesses in November after suspecting a pigeon had been killed with an air rifle in the Ramsden Street area of Barrow.

Elisabeth said a resident around that area had witnessed several birds 'fall out of the sky' and thought it may be the same culprits.

She said: "It's very hard to find these people however the shooter in this latest incident mustn't have been far away at the time.

"I've never known anywhere like Barrow for animal cruelty and you just look into their poor eyes when you're treating them and it's just so cruel."

Elisabeth reports every incident of cruelty to the police and has urged anyone with any information to contact police citing Crime Reference number CP - 2024-0329 -0084.