Woman 'walking injured seagull on a lead' in York has bird seized by police

Wild animal had to be put down due to the extent of its injuries, police say.

A woman is to appear in court after allegedly walking a seagull down a busy high street in York on a lead.

Police were called to Parliament Street, a popular shopping strip in the city centre, after the woman was spotted with the wild bird.

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire police said: "Police were called at 11.34am on Wednesday 28 June 2017 to reports that a woman was walking on Parliament Street with a seagull on a lead.

"On arrival, officers discovered that the seagull was injured.

"A 44-year-old woman of no fixed address has been charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress, taking a wild bird and injuring a wild bird."

The police force said the seagull was taken to a local veterinarian by police to be checked over and treated, but later had to be put down.

The woman is due to appear at York Magistrates' Court on 14 July.