MORE birds have been found trapped in hedges in Theale which have been covered in dangerous netting.

The netting was placed over hedgerows on Englefield Road, near the site of the new primary school in Theale. The netting has large holes in and is not securely fixed to the ground, allowing birds to enter and become trapped.

A video, filmed on Friday by a resident who asked not to be named, showed a bird trapped inside the netting and has been viewed more than 48,000 times on Twitter.

A spokesperson for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said: “If any wildlife is seen to be caught within or trapped behind netting they must be freed immediately and the netting fixed or removed.

“If you think that the landowner is aware that wild birds are being caught in their netting but has not remedied the situation then the local wildlife crime officer should be informed, in this case Thames Valley Police.”

Jeanette Clifford, the lead councillor for environment, said she did not know how often the netting is checked by a trained ecologist. West Berkshire Council also did not respond to questions asking how often the netting is checked.

The RSPB said: “It is essential that netting is checked at least once a day, but ideally three times, by a trained ecologist, to ensure that no wildlife is caught or that the netting has become defective.”

Carolyne Culver, chair of West Berkshire Green party, said: “I told Cllr Clifford on March 13 that birds had been trapped in the netting and she didn’t respond. On Friday I sent her video evidence that birds were trapped and she hasn’t responded.

“It is shocking that the environment portfolio holder does not care about wildlife.”

Cllr Clifford said: “It’s not to harm the birds, it’s there to protect the birds. It does break my heart that it has not gone to plan. Everything was done with an ecologist’s advice.

“The nets have been done for good reasons. We are just trying to do the right thing, using the best advice we have got. And we do want a school.”

Cllr Clifford said it would be wrong to give the name of the individual ecologist. She said the company that employed the ecologist was from Hampshire, although also would not name them. The council did not respond to questions asking which company employed the ecologist.

One of the hedges on Englefield Road will be removed to allow the footpaths to be broadened for the schoolchildren at the new primary school.

More than 190,000 people have signed a petition to parliament to make netting hedgerows to prevent birds from nesting a criminal offence, meaning parliament will consider it for a debate.

Alan Macro, councillor for Theale, said he has written to the chief executive of the council expressing concerns about the netting.