ANIMAL lovers are offering a reward in an bid to identify two ‘cowardly’ teenagers who allegedly kicked a gull until it was blind.

Bardsea Bird Sanctuary co-owner Elisabeth Ashleigh, Ian Wheddon from The Mobile Man and another individual are offering £120 for anyone who might have information regarding two teenagers who were seen 'kicking a gull like a football'.

It happened at around 8.30am on Monday in Lord Street, Barrow.

The bird was then taken to the back alley between Argyle and Derry Street before being picked up by Leanne Williams and then a member of the local rescue group, the Tweet Fleet.

The young gull, named Sammy, had to put down by a vet because of its injuries.

Mrs Williams said: “It had its head low and its eyes were glazed and I don’t think it could see - it was really upsetting.”

Mrs Ashleigh said: “I’m sure that most people wouldn’t wilfully harm these little birds even if they didn’t like them, and it’s evident that many do care enough to show their disgust and sadness.

“Out of yet another tragedy we can only hope that these cruel cowards get punished for what they’ve done in the hopes that they don’t do it again.

“I couldn’t even try to understand the mentality of the kind of people who are cruel to birds and animals.

"I can only think that there is no punishment or place bad enough for them.”

It is illegal to intentionally or recklessly injure or kill any gull and Mr Wheddon is keen to see justice served contributing £50 to the reward offer.

Mr Wheddon said: “The thing is that gulls are declining and they are coming in land because of the amount of rubbish that we leave in the streets.

“People are victimising these birds.

"I have even heard of one incident in Ormsgill where people throw bread into the road just to try and get it run over.

“If we can just bring one case to court it will make people think before they act.”

Mrs Ashleigh, who has reported the incident to the police, has laid some flowers and placed a plaque with a poem on where the gull was attacked.