Geese will be moved from river

A man in charge of moving 70 geese from the River Avon in Stratford, says he will go ahead, despite alleged threats.

Cyril Bennis said he had been dubbed the "goose butcher of Stratford-upon- Avon" after deciding to move them to a sanctuary due to the mess they make.

Each of the Canadian and farmhouse geese produce around two pounds of droppings each day.

Their move has already been postponed once, but Mr Bennis said he was determined to move the birds.

The town's former mayor told BBC News Online the unknown offenders threatened to 'get rid of him' and 'sort him out'.

'Sooner rather than later'

"I am very annoyed that people think they have the right to do this sort of thing.

"They feel the animals are under threat, which of course they are not.

"It is an unnatural habitat for them and they should not even be on the river.

"It's for the welfare of all and to head off an environmental problems.

"They will be moved sooner rather than later, either to a farm or a swan sanctuary. It's all legal and we won't be replacing them.

"If Shakespeare were here, he would have field day about the state of things at the river."