A FULL report on a pair of geese which had to be removed from a canal towpath in Cwmbran after attacking members of the public is to be presented to councillors.

In April the Argus reported the two birds had to be removed from the sxection of the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal near the Two Locks towpath due to their “aggressive behaviour”.

Now, a report to be presented to the council on Tuesday, July 26, has told the full story. 

Torfaen County Borough Council had received a petition from residents asking for something to be done about two particularly aggressive geese near the Two Locks towpath.

The petition requested evidence be supplied confirming the geese "have been placed in an appropriate environment and have access to other wildfowl and human contact".

South Wales Argus:

The council received reports of residents being attacked by the geese. Picture: Torfaen council

The petition further stated that, failing this, the council should arrange for the two geese to be placed into an environment that will safeguard their future.

In a report to be presented to council on July 26, the geese were descrived as "regularly pecking people along the canal".

It was further alleged that an elderly gentleman and a child had been attacked, and one elderly lady had fallen in her attempt to escape the geese.

Another resident alleged they had been bitten on the leg by a gaggle of geese when walking on the canal bank.

The report details how a council officer visited the site on March 22 - where they were met with two buff geese, which were vocal and aggressive, and charged at the officer. The officer was pecked and witnessed the geese pecking a passerby.

Numerous people on the canal stopped and advised the officer that they had also been pecked recently.

Further reports of attacks were received by the council in the next few weeks - including an elderly couple being attacked on the canal bank.

Following the complaints, officers held meetings with the council’s legal services to seek advice on what options were available to deal with the issue.

It was determined that the matter could be considered a statutory nuisance and action may be taken under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

However, it was also agreed that attempts should be made first to find out who owned the geese.

It was discovered that the geese had been abandoned.

The council decided that, although the territorial behavior of the two geese was natural, there was a risk of users of the towpath falling into the canal.

It was confirmed that there were no restriction zones in place covering Torfaen for avian flu.

On April 6, to safeguard the public and the welfare of the geese, the decision was taken to remove the two aggressive geese from the towpath and re-home them.

Officers considered the use of Greenmeadow Community Farm, however, it was decided that due to their aggressive nature and the farm being open to the public, including children, the risk of harm could remain.

The geese were eventually rehomed at a private residence in Cwmbran.

The council said that the removal of the geese was a "last resort".

"Since the removal of the two geese from the towpath, no further complaints have been received from elected members or members of the public," the report said.