SIX ducks and a goose were shot dead at a public park in a mid-morning incident.

Police were called after a man carrying an air pistol was spotted firing at the birds in Ashton Park, Darwen, yesterday.

Officers attended along with the RSPCA and found all seven of the dead birds had been shot.

Darwen Town Council mayor Coun Paul Browne said he was ‘stunned’ after hearing about the incident.

The park is a popular spot for dog walkers and children to feed the ducks.

A police spokeswoman said: “Shortly before 10am yesterday, (fri) a member of the public contacted police to report a man walking around with an air pistol shooting at ducks and geese in Ashton Park, Darwen.

“Officers attended along with the RSPCA and discovered one Canada goose and six ducks shot dead and left floating in the pond.”

Coun Browne said: “This is terrible. I am stunned.

“I can’t believe the mentality of people who would do a thing like that.

“Why has he gone out to do a thing like that? His IQ must be zilch.

“It is absolutely scandalous. This man is the lowest of the low and a prison sentence would not be enough.”

Marsh House area Coun Phillip Jones said it was scary someone was walking around a park and shooting at animals.

He said: “Everybody has got to be on the lookout for this man.

“It is not good if we have got grown men walking around with guns.

“They start on innocent creatures and who knows what they will move on to. It is scary.”

RSPCA spokeswoman Leanne Plumtree said: “The RSPCA has been contacted about a number of suspicious waterfoul deaths at the pond in Ashton Park, Darwen.

“Lancashire Police is leading the investigation with our assistance and anyone with any information should call them as soon as possible.”

Councillor Zamir Khan, who is in charge of parks for the council, said: “I understand the police are investigating this awful crime so we will have to wait for the outcome of that.

“I really hope the people who committed this disgusting act are caught and punished severely for this kind of cruelty to natural habitats.”

In a separate incident, an allotment in Rishton was broken into and nine ducks shot dead.

The incident happened on an allotment site at the rear of the council-owned playing fields in Parker Street, Rishton, between 4.15pm on Sunday and 7.15am Monday.

The offenders cut the barbed wire fence and climbed into a duck pen before shooting all nine of the ducks dead with an air weapon. They then made off with six of the animals and a small amount of scrap metal.

PC Johanna Maden, community beat manager for Rishton, said: “This was a nasty attack in which nine ducks have been brutally shot dead. The owner of the allotment is understandably shocked and upset at what has happened and we are determined the perpetrators will be brought to justice.”

Anyone with information on either incident is asked to call police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.