When owls go bad, they go very bad indeed. Owls have taken over a footpath in Lancashire, England and are denying humans the right to use it. The cowardly county council has refused to stand up to the thugs and has ordered humans to stay away from the area.
Lancashire county council closed the right of way after reports of the parent birds swooping at dog walkers using the moorland path near Dunsop Bridge.
"The problem is that the path runs between the nest site and the point where the adult birds perch regularly, and they regard people using it as a potential threat", said Nick Osbourne, the council's countryside officer.
"They seem to take particular exception to people with dogs. I have had six incidents reported to me, one of which resulted in someone receiving hospital treatment for a minor injury."
The council wants to ensure the public's safety while at the same time giving the birds a chance to rear their three young chicks.
Signs were originally erected warning people they might come under owl attack if they used the path. Then, after consultation with Duncan Thomas, the Lancashire police wildlife liaison officer, emergency powers were used to close the right of way.
Our informants tell us that the information the council is giving out is completely false. The owls are no raising young at all, they are merely teenage delinquents. We have photographical evidence of one of the suspects, one Oswald "Wiseguy" Bubo.
