Six charged with shooting of geese

SIX men have been charged in connection with the shooting of protected barnacle geese in Aberdeenshire.

The group, aged between 35 and 71 and from West Yorkshire, were charged with offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act after the carcasses of seven of the protected birds were recovered following an organised shoot near Ellon.

Constable George Sangster, a wildlife crime officer with Grampian Police said: "The barnacle goose is a protected species and cannot be legally shot. There is still some further inquiry to be made and other charges may follow.

He added: "A report will be sent to the procurator-fiscal in due course."

Constable Sangster added: "Field sports are important to the local economy of the North-east and at this time of year there is a great influx of visitors engaged in the perfectly lawful sport of wildfowling. Having said that, clearly there is a responsibility on the part of organisers and participants engaged in sports shooting to ensure that their activities remain within the law."