Gosfield villagers are furious after the parish council used poisonous chemicals to gas rabbits in a public nature reserve - and then proposed to reopen it two days later.

The council closed the reserve, a popular beauty spot where villagers walk their dogs and children play, last Wednesday and planned to reopen it on the Friday.

It was only when the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries advised the council not to open the reserve that soon, that it was closed for a further 10 days.

Angela Patmore, who lives in Gosfield, said she had spoken to the council and had been told the rabbits had to be gassed because they were a nuisance to local farmers.

"We take our dogs and children into the reserve and it is there for the local people to enjoy the animals. We all went up to the reserve and saw these signs saying it would be closed for two days. When I found out the reason I was appalled.

"We then found out that it was going to be closed for another 10 days because it would have been too dangerous to go in there any sooner."

A spokesman for MAFF said: "In these types of circumstances sodium cyanide is usually used, which is why we said they should not open the reserve for another 10 days. It was in the public's best interest which is the main priority."

Miss Patmore went on to say that villagers were angry that the council had not looked into the situation and were prepared to let them back in so quickly. "We could have taken our dogs and children in there and been damaged by the gas.

She added: ''This is obviously going to have a knock-on effect on the animals.

"There are birds in there which seem to rely on the public feeding them, and what about if a predator eats one of the dead rabbits, which could be contaminated? This could all have a disastrous effect on the wildlife," she said.

Chairperson of Gosfield Parish Council, Ann Pawsey, declined to make any comment on the matter.

Parish protest: Dog walkers Sue Smith, Angela Patmore and Peggy Smith at the nature reserve.

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