A TEENAGER helped save a nest full of baby pigeons after several birds were shot dead along the Radcliffe stretch of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal.

Patrick Jackson, aged 15, who volunteers at Greenmount Wild Bird Hospital, received an emergency call about the carnage on Tuesday night.

The next morning, he and volunteer Bernice Jackson, aged 75, visited the Royal Oak Basin where they found around a dozen dead birds on the floor, lying below a nest.

The incident was reported to the police and a wildlife officer is carrying out further enquiries.

Elton High School pupil Patrick, from Ainsworth, said: "When we arrived it was not a pretty sight.

"There were dead birds in the water. There were dead mums on babies.

"All that was going through my mind was that we needed to get the babies out of the nest and to safety.

"I took a pole with a net on the end and we had to scoop the babies up. That was the only way we could reach them.

"We got them all in the end. It was such a relief."

The 10 baby pigeons, or squabs, were taken to the Brandlesholme bird hospital where they were fed, given water, and given warmth.

The birds, all aged between two and four weeks old, will be released in around two weeks, once they have been hand-reared and learned to feed themselves.

Wildlife head bailiff Paul Higson, of Little Britain Anglers, reported the incident to the police.

He said: "This is the fifth time in 12 months birds have been shot and killed.

"The shootings are a concern as it is needlessly killing wildlife for no reason whatsoever.

"Not only that but it was in a public place and could have seriously injured someone if they had been shot."

He added: "Patrick is a bird lover and deserves all the credit for this rescue.

"He was down there before 9am, trying to save as many babies as he could.

"Without him they would have either slowly starved to death or fallen into the water and drowned."

Patrick said: "I am devoted to bird and animal rescue.

"But it is always about getting them back into the wild. That is my favourite part."

Patrick began volunteering at Greenmount Wild Bird Hospital just under two years ago — after a baby duckling followed him home.

He hopes to secure a future career as a veterinary nurse or an RSPCA inspector.

Mum Sara Davenport said: "I'm really proud of him.

"He has an amazing passion for any wildlife but birds in particular.

"A lot of people come knocking on the door because he is known locally as the bird man."

A police spokeswoman said: "Shortly before 5.45pm on Tuesday, May 29, police were called to reports of pigeons shot in Water Street, Radcliffe.

"This matter has been passed to the wildlife officer for further enquiries."