THE dumping of dozens of dead birds on the edge of a Co Down village has been described as "very disturbing".
The birds were found clumped together at the side of the Edenderry Road in the village on Monday.
It is not known how they died or who dumped them there.
Alliance councillor Micky Murray condemned the incident, adding that council staff had since cleared the birds.
"To have dozens of dead birds dumped near a popular walking trail is evidently very disturbing," he said.
"However, it's also illegal and presents serious public health concerns. The village of Edenderry is one of the only rural parts of Belfast and is an incredibly peaceful and beautiful part of our city, this is the last thing that local residents expected to find dumped by the side of the road.
"I’ve reported this to Belfast City Council and the birds have been removed, which wasn’t a nice task for staff, either. Fly tipping is a huge issue across Belfast, which costs time and resources to remedy. Belfast City Council staff have an enormous workload as it is, without having to clean up after others who have complete disregard for the local community."
