A SOUTHAMPTON community is up in arms after a resident duck and goose were found shot dead in a pond.

Three grey geese - one female and two males - and a white female duck have lived for years in Millers Pond in Sholing.

But last week one of the male geese and the duck were shot with what residents believe was an air rifle.

Katherine Hillary, 59, of Botany Bay Road, visited and fed the birds regularly. She was angry and upset when she found them floating dead in the water.

"I can't tell you how upset I was. I have spent two nights crying over this.

"I used to feed them every day. They were so tame - they would take the food from me.

"The goose was always so gentle, as if he was afraid he was going to hurt me."

Mrs Hillary believes the birds were shot by youths, who she says she has also seen throwing sticks and stones at them on their way home from school.

"It is afternoon entertainment for them," she said, adding that residents have called the police on numerous occasions about problems caused by youths.

"We have reported it and reported it but nothing is done," she said.

"I am a country person," she added. "I am used to animals dying, but not like this.

"They were quite happy. They were doing no harm whatsoever. Then someone decided to end their lives for fun, for kicks.

"Everyone is up in arms in Sholing."

RSPCA spokesman Becky Hawkes said the society has been campaigning for tighter controls of air guns because each year hundreds of wild and domestic animals are shot indiscriminately by air gun users.

"We have noticed over the years an increase in air gun attacks when the evenings get lighter and warmer," she said. "We suspect that has a direct bearing on the age of the air gun users being younger."