Last updated at 13:31, Wednesday, 24 February 2010

A GAGGLE of geese is causing mayhem at a Furness school.

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NOT AMUSED: From left, pupils Rowen Sanderson, Rosie Woods, Georgia Stanway, head teacher Caroline Vernon, Callum Baynes and Tommy Hogg at Victoria Junior School, Barrow LINDSEY DICKINGS REF: 50001739B004

Around 60 Canadian geese have set up home at Victoria Junior School, in Barrow, and are refusing to leave.

The birds were welcomed when they first wandered from Ormsgill Reservoir into the school yard,in Devonshire Road.

But the wildfowl have been fouling all over the playground, causing a hazard to pupils and staff.

The schoolyard is covered in geese muck and has been out of bounds to pupils for over three weeks because the mess is slippery.

The school’s 200 children have been confined to classrooms for their playtimes and some sports fixtures have been cancelled.

The school team has been trying hard to clear the mess each morning, but every day there is more.

They have also tried to chase the geese away but with no success.

Now the pupils and staff are appealing for help to find a deterrent to move the geese on, and an industrial power washer to clear the yard.

Headteacher Caroline Vernon said: “The geese arrived about three weeks before half term and at first we thought they were really cute and it was really lovely for the children to have all this wildlife on the site, but they have really started to cause us problems now.”

Ms Vernon said it began as a bit of a joke, but now everyone is fed up as it has got to the point where the pupils can’t use the playground.

She said: “A few arrived then more arrived and we now have between 50 and 60 geese here.

“The birds are not vicious, they are no problem, it is just the mess they are making all over the grounds. It is very slippy.

“We have had to close two of the entrances into school so the children all have to come in through the main entrance, they can’t go out through their classroom doors, we can’t have playtimes outsidebecause we cannot use the playground and we are having to cancel lots of coaching sessions because we just don’t have enough room to facilitate everybody. It really is a problem for us.”

Pupil Rowen Sanderson, 10, said: “I like to play to outside at playtimes. But with all the geese poo we can’t go out. We need to use our energy. Even though we have a big hall, we can’t all fit in there.”

Tommy Hogg, 11, said: “We want to play football at break but we can’t.

We can’t get outside and we need oxygen for our brains so we work better in lessons.”

Georgia Stanway, 11, tried to encourage the geese to move.

She said: “I was on a mission to clear them all away but it did not work. They just took two steps back.”

Rosie Woods, 11, skidded on the geese poo.

She said: “The teachers are not very happy about it because they like the children to get exercise and fresh air.”

Callum Baynes, 11, said: “We like to be outside, we would rather have the fresh air.

“The girls football is now having to be played in the hall.”

Ms Vernon has consulted Barrow Borough Council’s environmental health department and has been told about devices which can be used to move birds on.

The head was informed that Barrow AFC has a deterrent which is used keep birds off the pitch.

The Evening Mail contacted Barrow AFC to see if the Bluebirds could help. The club has a mechanical device which is a bird cut out which swings around a pole.

AFC said the school could have used it, but the device is currently broken. Ms Vernon said the school will be grateful to anyone who can help by providing such a device or a power washer.

Anyone who can help is asked to call the school on 01229 894656.

First published at 13:11, Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk