The legality of a recent controversial cull of some 60 birds at Caerphilly Castle, Gwent, has been questioned by members of the House of Commons.

18/06/2019

The legality of a recent controversial cull of some 60 birds at Caerphilly Castle, Gwent, has been questioned by members of the House of Commons. Cadw – the Historic Environment division of the Welsh Government – executed the cull on 14 May under general licences issued by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the same type that has recently been withdrawn in England. Cadw has since suspended any future culls.

Among the birds shot were Feral Rock Doves that had previously been in the care of Caerphilly Bird Rescue, before being released back into the wild. Legal experts in the House of Commons have questioned the cull's legality and Hefin David – a Welsh Government Assembly Member – has raised a number of legal questions with NRW.

Mr David said he had been reassured by Dafydd-Elis Thomas, the Welsh Government's Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism and Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom, that Cadw has "suspended" further culls at Caerphilly Castle and that a review of the policy was underway, with Mr Thomas saying: "Many people in Caerphilly have expressed their outrage at what has happened in the Castle.

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Gwent man braves icy water for five hours to rescue duck trapped on frozen pond

First published 04:00 Friday 6 February 2015 in News

Last updated 06:20 Friday 6 February 2015by Ciaran Kelly

YOU might think he's quackers, but a Gwent man was so determined to save a stranded duck that he spent five hours in freezing conditions to free it.

Kris Britton, 25, has been a volunteer at the Owl Sanctuary at Festival Park in Ebbw Vale for three years.

At 9.00am on Tuesday, the sanctuary received a call from Gwent Wildlife Trust following a report that a domestic duck was trapped on Blaina's Cwmcelyn pond, which had frozen over the night before.

Mr Britton and his fellow volunteer, Carl Howells, immediately headed to the scene armed with poles and nets. They believed the operation would only take half an hour but the duck, who was in shock with the cold, could not be coaxed away from the pond.

It meant that Mr Britton, from Abertillery, had to break into the ice, with water up to his shoulders, to rescue the helpless duck.

He said: “This year’s been so cold, and I didn’t really want to go in. I was completely red.

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