LEGAL experts in the House of commons have cast doubt on the legality of a pigeon cull that saw birds shot out of the sky days after being nursed back to health.

After the outrage in response to the killing of dozens of pigeons at Caerphilly Castle, Cadw, the organisation behind the cull, have reassured residents in the area that shooting will be suspended.

A spokesman said: “In light of the concerns that have been expressed, we have decided to suspend any further culling until we have completed a comprehensive review of our approach to controlling pigeon numbers at Caerphilly Castle.”

Wayne David, Labour MP for Caerphilly, yesterday revealed that he also received assurances from the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism in the Welsh Government that Cadw has "suspended" further pigeon culls at the castle.

The MP also cast doubt on the legality of the cull, and said he had raised a number of legal questions with Natural Resources Wales who are said to have issued the licence for the killings to go ahead.

The South Wales Argus approached Natural Resources Wales for a comment.

But despite the assurances of Cadw, residents of the area do not believe Cadw will stop killing birds at the castle.

Caerphilly Bird Rescue owners Ray and Carol Gravenor, who nursed many of the birds back to health and released them into the wild just before last month's cull, are still furious.

She said: “Show me what you’re going to cull, and I may believe the statement.”

“The news that they have suspended future culls is great as long as they are actually telling the truth,” said resident Pauline Burch.

“It’s okay to try and preserve history like the castle but there is a better way to do it than killing the birds.

“What about the babies left in the nests? If they were left and not killed, but they will die without their parents to feed them.”

“People make more of a mess than the birds. They should do something useful and instead clean the streets.”

A spokesperson for Friends of Animals Wales said: “The suspension is half-hearted. Cadw are actually doing it legally - it’s the law that needs to be changed.”

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“Money talks and they’re about money. I don’t believe them. Haven’t they thought to get in touch with people. They’re just saying it to keep people quiet.”

This is the view shared by Wayne George, a resident who takes his granddaughter to see the birds and to help teach her how to respect the environment.

Mr George said: “There’s no need to cull them. If you want to keep pigeons away, employ a hawk. That will deter them.”

Another resident, Wanda O’Connor ,added: “A well-known way to deter birds from properties is to use plastic birds of prey.”

While the public are sceptic about the truth to the suspension, the local politicians are happy that Cadw have acknowledged the matter.

Morgan Ward Cllr, James Pritchard, said "I'm pleased Cadw have reacted to suspend the bird cull at Caerphilly Castle following public and political pressure.

“I wrote to Cadw on 15th May to voice my strong concerns and having spoken to Caerphilly Bird Rescue about the way in which the culling took place, there's no way I believe any further culling can be justified".

Welsh AM Hefin David also welcomed the positive news.

He said: “This is welcome news and a positive response to the reaction from the local community.

“Last month I requested a meeting with Cadw officials, and this will take place on 21st June.

“I’ve got a number of questions to ask and I will make sure these are aired at our meeting”.

Caerphilly MP, Mr David, said he was pleased the action had been taken by Cadw.

“Many people in Caerphilly have expressed their outrage at what has happened in the Castle," he said.

“I would hope that any review of bird control at the Castle will show that there are far better ways of controlling the numbers of feral pigeons than shooting them.

“A meeting with the Head of Cadw and Hefin David AM and I will take place on 21 June. Hefin and I will be seeking assurances from Cadw that these barbaric culls will never happen again”.