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Cull of ducks costs £1.4m
The controversial cull of ruddy ducks has cost a staggering £1.4m - the European Union has set aside that sum to fund the killing programme on Pearson's Flash in Wigan and other waters in the North West and Midlands.
An investigation by the United Kingdom Independence Party discovered that the cash has been allocated by Brussels as part of a programme attempting to eradicate the "feral" North American birds which are threatening the globally endangered white-headed duck in Spain.
Despite growing protests from animal rights activists, an increasing number of the creatures – 40 before Christmas and a further 24 last month – have been killed by Defra marksman patrolling the Poolstock lake.
The ducks – which were accidentally released into the wild in Britain by naturalist Sir Peter Scott in the 1950s – are not protected by the closed season for wildfowling which began at the start of last month.
The cost of the five-year eradication programme, due to finish in two years, was revealed by UKIP party leader Nigel Farage in questions to the EU Commission.
Chairman of Wigan UKIP Alan Freeman said because of the 6bn Britain contributes annually to the EU, Wigan taxpayers were helping to pay for the slaughter of "our indigenous ducks."
He said: "There is a lot of anger across Wigan that these ducks which are not causing problems in this country are being slaughtered."
Opposition leader on the Metro Coun Peter Franzen, who has led the fight in the town hall against the cull, said: "I find this figure, if correct, absolutely astonishing.
"I have never been convinced that a case has been made for shooting the ruddy duck ... this money could have been spent so much more usefully on wildlife conservation."
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Weather for Wigan
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
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