SOUTHAMPTON port bosses have come under fire for failing to find out how the food for birdlife will be affected if they build a huge new dock at Dibden Bay.

Associated British Ports is planning a £750m con-tainer terminal at Dibden Bay, which has attracted major objections on various issues including the potential damage to wildlife.

At the public inquiry into the issue yesterday, its main nature conservation witness was quizzed over a lack of information on how food resources for wildlife would be affected.

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' QC David Elvin told ABP ecol-ogist Philip Colebourn: "You haven't attempted to gather data as regards these sites, have you? Over a period of five or six years, there has been no attempt to find data as regards food resources."

After Mr Colebourn had suggested that birds would move to where food was available Mr Elvin hit back. He said: "It is critical to the condition and survival of the species that there is food available."

Under cross-examination from Robert Griffiths of the Environment Agency, Mr Colebourn said ABP accept-ed the importance of an area known as the Westcliff Marsh, close to the proposed creek.

"That is one of the reasons we are trying to con-serve the Westcliff Marsh," he said.