I HAVE just heard on BBC Hereford & Worcester that one of the nationwide Wyevale Garden Centres has, on the advice of DEFRA, just killed three robins who were nesting in the area of the restaurant.

I find it extremely disturbing that DEFRA, the organisation which caused so much suffering during the foot-and-mouth outbreak was brought in to deal with this situation.

I should have thought the RSPB would be a more suitable organisation to offer advice.

While I understand that it is not pleasant to find bird faeces in food, I find it unacceptable that, being a Garden Centre and no doubt selling wild bird food and bird tables, the staff allowed the birds to nest in the first place.

Nesting box

I would have thought that one possibility would have been to erect a nesting box to encourage the birds away from the restaurant area.

Surely the nest could have been knocked down as it was being built? Although this is cruel, at least that way the birds wouldn't have had to be killed. I don't think this is the way to teach people to live alongside wildlife which has as much right to life as we do.

I feel that this chain of Garden Centres should no longer be allowed to sell wild bird food, bird tables or anything related to wild birds.

I believe that the company behaved despicably and I will not be patronising their garden centres again.

SHEILA WINTER,

Worcester.