PIGEONS perching on bungalow roofs are being shot and left to die by callous air gunners, a Malvern pensioner claims.

Joan Shovelton has had to take one dying bird to be put down after it was used as target practice.

According to the 78-year-old, nine pigeons and one crow have been shot in the past few weeks.

"The RSPCA have been three times to collect injured birds. I've taken one to the vet myself and Elgar Housing have removed a dead bird from the roof," said Mrs Shovelton, of St Andrews Road.

"Luckily, one just had a nipped wing, but most of the wounded ones had to be put down."

"The shots come very early in the morning, maybe from Priory Park, near the Splash centre, the coal yard or the railway embankment."

Mrs Shovelton said as well as being concerned for the birds, she was worried for the safety of her elderly neighbours in the sheltered housing scheme, and their pets.

"We feel that we may be in danger of being shot at, as well as having to collect, on a daily basis, dead or dying birds," she said.

RSPCA spokeswoman Jo Cunningham confirmed an inspector had been to collect birds from the street. "We were disappointed when the proposed air gun legislation was turned down, which would have put the age of ownership up from 14 to 18 years old," she said.

"These people are committing a crime if they are causing the animals unnecessary suffering."