A drunk man shot two “beautiful” birds with an air rifle when he went shooting in a public park.

Blackburn magistrates heard Joe Morris was drunk when he went to the park and shot a tawny owl and a wood pigeon.

Morris, 28, of White Grove, Colne, pleaded guilty to possessing an air weapon in Alkincoats Park, Colne, and killing a tawny owl and a wood pigeon.

He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a six-month alcohol treatment requirement.

He was fined £40 with £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

District Judge Alexandra Preston said wildlife was priceless and Morris had killed two beautiful birds.

“It is alarming to think you were out with an air rifle and, by your own admission, you were drunk when you did this,” she said.

Henry Prescott, prosecuting, said police received an anonymous tip-off about a man returning to his home address and putting a tawny owl and a wood pigeon in his wheelie bin.

The caller said Morris regularly went to Alkincoats Park shooting wild birds.

When officers spoke to Morris at his home he admitted what he had done and recovered the birds from the bin.

Mr Prescott said the air rifle was not an illegal weapon and had not been seized by the police.

Mark Williams, defending, said his client had disposed of the air rifle and had no intention of replacing it.

“He is very embarrassed and ashamed of what he did,” said Mr Williams.

“He can’t and doesn’t wish to put forward any excuses. He accepts what he did was very inappropriate.”

Mr Williams said his client had problems with alcohol and had self-referred to Inspire.