
Dead squirrels caught in Weston Park traps spark outrage
The sight of injured and dead squirrels caught in traps in the grounds of a stately home has sparked outrage from some visitors.A number of people have taken to social media with descriptions of "heartbreaking displays of animal cruelty" at Weston Park, near Shifnal, near the border of Staffordshire and Shropshire.Pictures have been posted online of a squirrel hanging out of a trap with its head inside and another squirrel caught in a tube.A spokeswoman for Weston Park said humane traps were used on part of the estate and added: "We understand how upsetting this was and sincerely apologise to anyone affected."
On Facebook, one commentator, Jeneen Schive, wrote: "Visitors to Weston Park have been confronted with a distressing sight: Squirrel traps placed high in the trees, leaving injured or even dead squirrels caught and visible for all to see."This heartbreaking displays of animal cruelty cannot be ignored….these traps are causing unnecessary suffering to innocent creatures."The spokeswoman for the park said estate managers were now carrying out a review of everything they do to manage the squirrel population on the estate."We have a responsibility to control the population of grey squirrels, a non-native invasive species, in a humane and controlled manner," she added."We fully understand our visitors care and concern for the park and its wildlife and we remain committed to ensuring that all necessary actions are carried out responsibly in accordance with best practices."
Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Walsall man denies murdering five-week-old baby
A man has appeared in court and denied murdering a five-week-old Jefferson, of Birch Court, Walsall, pleaded not guilty to the murder and manslaughter of Darcy-Leigh Jefferson on 29 March 2022 during a hearing at Stafford Crown Court on in the dock wearing jeans and a grey-zipped Adidas top, the 34-year-old also denied causing or allowing a child to die, two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, two counts of causing or allowing a child to suffer serious physical harm and cruelty to a person under the age of offences were alleged to have happened between 20 February and 27 March 2022. Amy Leigh Clark, of Enots Close in Lichfield, Staffordshire, appeared at the same hearing via video link from HMP Foston Hall but was not asked to enter any pleas due to technical 33-year-old will appear at the same court in person on 25 September, where she will be pair are expected to face a trial lasting six to eight weeks from 12 January 2026. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.


Sky News
8 hours ago
- Sky News
Natalie Herron: Scottish woman jailed for sharing monkey torture videos
A Scottish woman involved in a global monkey torture ring has been jailed for more than two years in a landmark case. Police Scotland said Natalie Herron, 39, contributed to the "cruel torture and immense suffering of a number of innocent animals". Investigating officers described it as one of the most horrific cases they had dealt with and that the material was like nothing they had seen before. This is the first time someone has been sentenced in Scotland for cruelty that took place abroad. Herron was arrested in September 2022 after the National Crime Agency (NCA) alerted Police Scotland. She was then brought to justice with help from the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU). Detective Sergeant Karen Murray said the long and complex investigation was "the first of its kind in the UK". She added: "Through dedicated police work, the investigation team was able to show that Herron was watching and distributing this horrific material and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who worked on it. "This was one of the most disturbing and graphic cases we have worked on, and we hope this sentence shows that, even though the cruelty took place abroad, these types of crimes will not be tolerated and we will use all the tools at our disposal to hold people accountable." Detective Inspector Mark Harrison, from the NWCU, said the investigation was "truly shocking and unsettling". He added: "The people involved are not just motivated by money, this is also about getting some sort of gratification from watching animals being tortured and then sharing those images with others. "It has been well documented in the media recently what impacts these sorts of online images can have on people, especially young people, and there are proven links between those involved in animal cruelty and violence towards people, so we take it very seriously." Herron appeared before Airdrie Sheriff Court in North Lanarkshire last month and pleaded guilty to charges of distributing and possessing obscene publications between December 2021 and September 2022. She returned to the dock on Tuesday, where she was jailed for two years and three months. As part of the wider investigation, two women were last year jailed at Worcester Crown Court in England for their part in the network. A 37-year-old woman was sentenced to two years behind bars, while a 55-year-old woman was jailed for one year and three months. Faye Cook, procurator fiscal for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said: "The videos and images that Natalie Herron bought and shared online are horrendous. "These animals were shown to be suffering extreme pain. This has been a distressing case for the prosecution team and police, but we have held Natalie Herron accountable."


BBC News
12 hours ago
- BBC News
Crays Hill man 'refuses to attend court' accused of 41 dog deaths
A man accused of causing the deaths of 41 dogs at a rescue centre he ran refused to attend court, a judge animals were discovered during a raid at a property in Crays Hill near Billericay, Essex, on 13 discovered the remains of four more dogs on 4 June, after a number of buildings at the site were Rahman, 25, of Hope Road in the village, was due to appear at Southend Crown Court charged with three counts of fraud by false representation and two animal cruelty offences. However, Judge Samantha Leigh said he refused to leave the prison cell he was remanded in and attend the adjourned proceedings until the week beginning 23 June. Basildon Council launched an internal inquiry after the discovery, which also led to the seizure of 21 alive dogs in need of treatment.A 25-year-old woman from London and another man who were arrested by police have been bailed until were prohibited from entering Hope Road and being in possession of any animal during that period. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.