A fish and chip shop has been urged to clean up its act and dispose of its rubbish properly after a starling drowned in an open oil barrel.

Founder of Gabo Wildlife Carly Ahlen has hit out at Henderson Fish Bar And Kebab in Dartford after the “preventable” death of the young bird.

WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTO BELOW

She said: “I got a call from a member of the public who found a starling suffering outside the chip shop. They didn’t know what to do with it.

“So one of my volunteers who lives quite close dashed over and got the bird to be able to provide first aid and get it to a vet. But sadly it died in our hands.

“It was devastating for all the people around to watch that bird struggling to breathe with the oil inside its lungs.”

Carly, who works to protect, rescue and rehabilitate wildlife across Kent, says the bird nest is above the barrels of oil at the chip shop, but they hadn’t been covered which is why the bird fell in.

The Dartford resident explained: “The lid has no bird poop on but all down the side of the barrel does.

“So they brushed it open right underneath the nest of these four starlings and he’s fallen straight into it.

“I called them and told them about the situation and said ‘please move along the barrels and keep them covered’ and they haven’t done it. The lid is uncovered and everything.”

She wants the fish and chip shop to take the matter more seriously as she believes the death was “preventable”.

Carly added: “They’re protective birds and it would just be a case of moving the barrels along and keeping them covered.

“Not just for the starlings but other wildlife that could confuse the oil with being water.

“It’s quite shocking that they’ve got away with this. How many birds have drowned in similar circumstances?

“If a little child was down the back of there, why are they not covering these barrels? It’s just pure laziness.

“Starlings are amazing birds, if you have ever seen a starling murmuration whilst they twist, turn and swoop in huge groups across the sky, you would realise just how magical they are.”

The wildlife rescue specialist says getting calls to rescue animals in distress is always tough.

“But when the agonising deaths are preventable like this juvenile starling was then that’s when it really compels you to to push for change,” she added.

“I hope that they will start to take this more seriously and in order to prevent more horrific incidents occurring in the near future.”

Gabo Wildlife is a non-profit organisation which specialises in the rehabilitation of migratory birds.

Henderson Fish Bar and Kebab has been approached for comment.