Every days brings its dangers - the perils of being a Greylag Goose in London or in Cleethorpes

Greylag Goose - common species in many parks including Cleethorpes boating lake

WHEN, at Cleethorpes Boating Lake in October 2021,  a reckless motorist careered into a goose, killing it, there was public outrage.

But rewind to April 6, 1996, and a goose fatality incident - this time in London -  involving  Roy Hattersley, deputy leader of the Labour Party under Neil Kinnock.

Hattersley was walking Buster, his German Shepherd-Staffordshire bull terrier  cross, in London's St James Park when the off-the-lead canine seized a Greylag Goose in its jaws and killed it.

In those pre-social media days, there was not a whisper of anger from anyone.

But the incident was noted by police, and Hattersley, who died earlier this week aged 93, was subsequently prosecuted and  fined £75 by magistrates.

But later, he made light of the incident, expressing no regret and blaming the goose for not flying away.

Later, the Sheffield-born politician - a regular holiday visitor to Cleethorpes in childhood - made capital of the episode, referring to it in a book called Buster's Diary which sought to present a light-hearted dog's-eye view of life.

The section reads: "I was not alone in the rhododendrons for long.

"Suddenly a goose appeared.

"Geese are supposed to be frightened by dogs and fly away, but this one barely seemed to notice that I was there.

"It just fluttered its wings a bit and went on pecking the ground.

"Naturally, I was offended so I gave it a nip on the back of the neck.

"It waddled off and I went into my stalking mode, but, when it flopped over the fence between the park and the pond, I lost interest."

                                  

The former politician regarded the incident as matter for humour