Residents have been left searching for answers after a row of dead seagulls were lined up along a street following a mystery incident.
People were upset after seeing the lifeless birds placed alongside each other in Wallasey, Merseyside, on Friday morning.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency have opened an investigation at the "terrible" sight near a children's play area, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Taking to social media, concerns were raised by locals wanting to know why the animals were left dead in a row just centimeters apart.
Posting to a local Facebook Page, resident Tiffany Stapleton said: "Is someone shooting seagulls and lining them up in the street!?
"There’s 4 seagulls all dead and lined up between Wheatland lane and Kelvin road by the play area by Mona Castle Pub."
Some users feared it was a "deliberate act" due to the strange positioning of the birds, as they appear to be lined up in a row.
The woman confirmed she reported the incident to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) after being shocked to see the birds this morning.
Taking to social media, she asked people for advice on what can be done to remove the birds.
One user said it was "awful, not nice for children to see" while another added it was "so sad".
A third replied: "If that has been done deliberately it is vile and shocking."
Others described it as a "horrible" incident and it was "very bizarre".
It is still not yet known how the birds died and how they came about that position.
An Animal and Plant Health Agency spokesperson said: “We are aware of a number of wild bird deaths in the Wallasey area of Merseyside.
"These deaths are currently under investigation."
As part of the on-going surveillance for avian influenza, there have been multiple findings of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in wild birds from sites across the country.
As a result, people are being urged not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds that you find.
