CRUELTY comes in various forms and cruelty to animals is no exception, so as an animal lover, when cruelty comes knocking on my door I have to tell people.

On October 20 I was having my tea when my good neighbour “Steve,” who lives at the end of my close, rang my doorbell.

He pointed out a feral pigeon that was hanging by its leg from my TV aerial which entailed me leaving my meal to get my ladders, climbing to the top of my garage and from there, climbing up to free it. (not an easy task at my age).

The baler twine to which it was attached stretched across my roof and for a full 100 yards across my close.

The pigeon was not entangled in it which could have been classed as an accident, but neatly tied by a slipknot to the end.

This was a deliberate act of cruelty. It was obvious the bird had been attached and flown like a kite and let go still attached.

Feral pigeons (or rock doves) are not my favourite bird.

They become rather a nuisance at times but to deliberately injure them is cruel and the person who did this should hang their heads in shame.

I’m happy to say the bird, although stressed, let me free it and after a short rest flew on to my neighbour's roof.

L. A. O’Bee, Southampton.