THE shocking shootings of a Canada goose and her gosling at Cefn Golau pond is part of a disturbing increase in incidents involving airguns, the RSPCA claims.

In yesterday's Argus we reported the shootings at the pond near Tredegar. The incident, which occurred sometime over the weekend, left five other goslings without anyone to care for them - the father goose was shot dead last month.

This follows a similar incident in April, when a swan was stoned to death on a canal in Cwmbran.

Four of the goslings were rescued and taken to a swan rescue centre but one is still at large on the pond.

Rachel Jones, an RSPCA inspector based in South Wales, said: "We do seem to come across quite a few of these airgun attacks - often they are in the South Wales Valleys.

"We do constantly see animals mutilated or killed through airgun attacks but the difficulty is to link a person to the crime because there are rarely witnesses.

"It would also be very difficult to link a gun pellet to a particular person. It is mainly birds and cats that are shot with airguns, although occasionally you will see a dog with an airgun wound."

Ellen Kershaw of Swan Rescue Wales said: "I just wish that something could be done about the gun laws.

"Too many yobs have guns and the sale of air pistols and rifles is just so easy.

"We are getting dead ducks found in the canal all the time."

Tredegar councillor Derek Morris said: "I think this is absolutely appalling.

"The person responsible is nothing but a mindless scoundrel and yob.

"I don't think there are severe enough punishments for this type of offence."

Ms Jones added: "If anybody knows somebody with an airgun living in their area I would suggest they keep an eye on them and if they see anything suspicious then report it to the police or the RSPCA on 0870 55 55 999."