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Police Called On Tree-Cutters 'Making Rooks Homeless'

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Police were called to Veryan by neighbours trying to protect rooks from being made homeless
By WBCaroline | Posted: March 16, 2017
Video, 41s.

Villagers called police on workers spotted chopping down trees that are home to 500 resident rooks.
Neighbours are enraged because the work to fell a number of trees on land at the Old Vicarage has taken place during nesting season.

Cornwall Council gave permission for the work to be carried out to the trees on Century Lane, which is within a conservation area, earlier this year.

However residents say although no Tree Preservation Order (TPO) was placed on the trees a condition included in the permission to avoid damage or disturbance to the birds during nesting season – February to August - has been broken.
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it's an offence to intentionally take, damage or destroy any wild birds or their nests while being built or in use, or to take or destroy their eggs or chicks.

Jane Turnbull said she feared that the work would be carried out anyway despite the stipulation and alerted the police.
Earlier this week she called police again after work on the trees began.

"A contravention of the act was being committed," she said, adding both the trees and the rooks were "very much part of Veryan, which is a very beautiful village."
"Veryan has one the few populations of sedentary rooks; there is a population of 500 rooks which are well-known and have been there for hundreds of years. They do this amazing fly past."

Her husband Brian Perman and friend John Saville met with workers to ask them to stop, but could do nothing else because the work was carried out on private land.
Mr Perman added the destruction of the trees would lead to the "self-fulfilling prophecy" by which the rooks' nests and young would be destroyed.

Acting sergeant Andy Mulhern, from Truro police, said an officer had attended the address and work had halted.
He said the situation had been referred to Cornwall Council.
A council spokesman said: "We understand that the police have been informed, however we are not aware of the outcome of any criminal investigation being carried out as this will be dealt with by the police."

Cornwall Live has been unable to make contact with the owner of the property.

http://www.cornwalllive.com/police-...ade-homeless/story-30206238-detail/story.html
 
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