Murder most fowl!
Village’s beloved goose shot by mystery air gun assassin in a 4x4
LIKE so many villages, Sandon had a lovable eccentric in its midst.
In its case, the quirky character was a goose who lived in an old phone box, chaperoned ducklings across the road and pecked at anyone who tried to use the postbox.
But the close-knit Hertfordshire community has been rocked after outsiders drove in and killed the gander in broad daylight.
According to witnesses, a dark-coloured 4x4 pulled up by the village pond where the goose was bobbing along on Sunday afternoon, before someone leaned out of the passenger window and shot the bird with an air gun. He was hit once near his left eye before the unidentified car sped off.
Residents have spoken of their sadness at losing the bird – known only as Goose since so many predecessors had been run over they feared giving him a name would jinx him – who had become such a familiar and loved sight that he featured on the village sign.
Penny Wallbridge, who has lived in Sandon for 30 years, said: ‘People are very upset as everybody knew him. He was part of the community.’
Local children paid tribute to Goose, who has been buried near the pond’s bank, in notes left with flowers inside the doorless phone box he had called home.
Cerys Brey said: ‘To dear old Mr Goose, I will miss seeing you. My mum said when you popped your tongue out and made that hiss it was coz you loved the ducks and your home. I like that you wos brave to help wot you love and helped the ducks cross the road. Don’t worry. Me and my friends will look after them for you now.’
Emily Levy wrote: ‘Dear angry goose, I love you to bits. I’m very sorry you died so suddenly. Love you, please come back some day.’
Other residents spoke of their anger at the killing and their frustration that police are not investigating the crime, citing lack of evidence. Landscape gardener Geoff Coombes, 36, said: ‘What happened to this goose is a crime, the police should be tracking them down to teach them a lesson. Anyone who thinks it’s fun to do this to an innocent animal deserves punishing.’
PR consultant Gay Ayton, 55, said Goose was ‘a great character’, adding: ‘There’s no way it could have been someone who lives here. We’ve all come to love Goose, despite him being a bit moody in mating season. We want this person named and shamed for what they did. It’s nothing short of barbaric.’
Goose’s life was marked by tragedy early on when his mother was killed by a fox shortly after he hatched 11 years ago. But villagers were relieved when his father taught the gosling how to swim and fly. Over time, he became he became a focal point of the community.
Goose’s habits included strolling proprietorially around the village, letting children pat him, occasionally wandering into exercise classes in the village hall and chasing off foxes. He also picked the odd fight with himself when he saw his reflection during mating season. RSPCA Inspector Stephen Reeves said: ‘I am appalled at this alleged incident. It is a reckless and senseless act to shoot a goose in the head at point blank range.’
A Hertfordshire Police spokesman said Goose had been ‘disposed of’ by the time the RSPC arrived and at that stage there were no further lines of inquiry, but added: ‘Should any other information be reported to police ... this would be looked at.’
Intentionally killing or injuring a wild bird is illegal and is punishable by a maximum £5,000 fine and six months in jail.