North Shields kittiwake group calls for netting removal

The netting was put up in December

More than 5,600 people have signed a petition calling for netting to be removed from a town's last remaining kittiwake nesting site.

The birds, whose populations are declining, have been breeding along the River Tyne for 70 years.

But campaigners said netting put up in December will stop them returning to a well established site on a building in North Shields, on Tyneside.

Daniel Turner, who started the petition, said it was "a shame".

"That's the only kittiwakes nest in North Shields, in fact on the river in North Tyneside," he said.

"We would lose that group of kittiwakes completely. Don't they have a right to be there?"

The nesting site is the kittiwakes' last remaining one in North Shields

Mr Turner has asked North Tyneside Council to encourage the property owner to remove the netting.

The authority said the netting was not illegal if it was installed before the nesting season and did not result in any harm to wildlife.

A spokesperson said the council was a member of the Tyne Kittiwake Partnership, which had been talking to the building's owner.

Head of environment Phil Scott said: "As there are no legal powers available to the council to enforce the removal of this netting, we are currently working, alongside the Tyne Kittiwake Partnership, to explore a resolution that might suit all parties."

The council said the netting was not illegal if put up before nesting season