A PIGEON has fully recovered after being left with a wound from a pellet gun shot.

The animal was brought to Bardsea Bird Sanctuary by a caring BAE worker who had seen it bleeding on July 17 at Barrow Island towards the docks from the Devonshire pub.

The worker assumed that it had been caught on an anti-bird spike.

The next day the bird was taken to the sanctuary and looked after by Sue Old, one of the volunteers.

The volunteer said that after a month of treatment the pigeon has 'healed up nicely' and will be soft-released, meaning that it will gradually be introduced to a new environment before its eventual release into the wild.

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Ms Old said: "The pigeon is fine now. Last week I had to clean the wound again because it got infected but now it is completely sealed up.

"It is awful to think that a person created this. To imagine that a local person can take fun out of this is terrific. Goodness knows how many people saw it while it was flying around and were upset by it.

"No animal deserves to be in such pain and terror for so long. It would have had a slow, painful death if those kind people had not cared enough to go out of their way to catch it and take it somewhere that could help it.

"I don't know how someone can find pleasure in causing such pain and distress to so many people, let alone a living, feeling, innocent creature. How could this pigeon have harmed anyone enough to deserve a fate like this?"

Only in July, three birds suffered gunshot wounds and lived. All these birds were treated by the volunteers from the sanctuary.

If anyone has any more information about birds in the area being shot at message the Bardsea Bird Sanctuary Facebook page. 

If you see, or suspect, that a person may be treating an animal badly, whether this is physical violence, neglect or any other form of cruelty, you should also report this to the RSPCA’s cruelty line (8am-8pm, seven days a week).

You can contact them on 0300 1234 999. The call will cost the same as any call to a UK landline number.