Bird-killer power lines go underground

The electricity cables will be moved underground

Overhead power lines which are killing wild birds in Cornwall are being removed from a nature reserve.

The 11,000 volt cables, which cross the reserve at Bude in north Cornwall, have claimed the lives of swans, heron, geese, gulls and ducks.

But a new project will see the cables being replaced by underground lines.

The joint scheme involves North Cornwall District Council and Western Power Distribution.

Cornwall has 165 Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Landing on and taking off from a watery surface can be pretty precarious for birds at the best of times.

But in bad weather, wildlife experts say the last thing they need to contend with is live electricity power lines.

Ian Parkinson, Western Power Distribution's team manager for the area admits that the cables are a hazard for birds.

He also said that the lines are unsightly.

The council's assistant coast and countryside officer, Tim Dingle, said removing the cables will make life easier and longer for inhabitants of the reserve.

More benefits

The council also hopes that the disappearance of the lines will have benefits for visitors to the reserve.

It believes it will make the area more attractive for walking, jogging and cycling.

Part of the reserve is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). There are 165 such sites in the county.

They are designated where land has rare plants, animals or birds, or is a fine example of a particular type of countryside.