AN ANIMAL welfare worker is considering taking legal action against those responsible for trapping and killing pigeons in a town centre.

Ray Mackinlay, of the National Animal Sanctuary Support League (NASSL), has condemned the measure as an act of cruelty.

Mr Mackinlay says the device in Newton Aycliffe town centre, County Durham, which appears to be made of fishing wire, is "disgusting".

The contraption has been placed on a ledge above a town centre shop, out of the view of shoppers.

Mr Mackinlay said: "I went up there on a ladder the other night and they've got this wire stretched all over the place on expanding springs.

"When the birds get in there the springs expand and contract.

"The birds can't take off and they suffer a slow, lingering death.

"You can't trap animals out of public view with a device of this kind and allow them to starve to death."

It is unclear how the device got there in the first place, with the shop, Sedgefield Borough Council and town centre owners all denying it has anything to do with them.

But Mr Mackinlay said he is determined to prosecute to make sure no more animals suffer.

He said: "At the end of the day, if this wire is not removed, and I don't get a guarantee this type of device is not used in the future, I will be taking legal advice."

Guy Merchant, director of the national Pigeon Control Advisory Service (Picas), said devices of this type are often not designed to trap and kill birds, but do so because they are incorrectly installed.

He said: "Any device that is trapping and killing birds is illegal, not least because it contravenes the 1911 Cruelty to Animals Act.

"Anybody who is doing anything to deter pigeons which involves trapping or killing them will be held accountable and a private prosecution can be taken out."

He added: "So many people go to a pest control company, and 99 per cent don't have a clue what they're doing.

"They put devices up which don't work or set them up inexpertly and birds suffer as a result."