He was often seen chaperoning ducks and ducklings across roads (Picture: SWNS)

Someone has offered a £250,000 reward to the person who finds those responsible for killing a goose in a drive-by shooting.

The animal, simply known as The Goose, was slain with an air rifle by a gang in what sounds like the most British thing ever.

It happened in the tiny village of Sandon in Hertfordshire, and residents are sure it would not be one of the 400 parishioners living there.

The huge cash reward was texted in to the Jeremy Vine show by Peter Hunt from Eastbourne.


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He chilled out in a phone box (Picture: SWNS)

The Goose, in all his goosey gloriousness (Picture: SWNS)

The Goose was loved by many. He was often seen chaperoning ducks and their ducklings across roads.



He hung out in the local phone box, where tributes now lay.

PR consultant Gay Ayton, 55, said: ‘He was a great character and the villagers are going from sad to angry to sickened that people could have done this to him.

‘There’s no way it could have been someone who lives here. We’ve all come to love The Goose, despite him being a bit moody in mating season.

‘We want this person to be named and shamed for what they did. It’s disgusting that someone who is clearly well trained in using a gun, chose to harm an innocent goose in this way.

The Goose was born in the village 11 years ago but was sadly orphaned as a youngster after his parents were mauled to death by a fox.

Mourners leave notes for The Goose (Picture: SWNS)

It’s just heart-breaking (Picture: SWNS)

Parish council clerk Helen Stubbings added: ‘I think it’s appalling that someone could come into a village in the middle of the day and shoot a defenceless animal.

‘There were children running around and if one of them had been hit, it would have been truly awful.

‘It could have easily ricocheted. The whole thing is just foolish.’

A spokeswoman for Hertfordshire Police said: ‘Officers liaised with the RSPCA who attended in the first instance to make inquiries.

‘Prior to their arrival, The Goose had been disposed of and at that stage there were no further lines of inquiry.

‘However, should any other information be reported to police which could assist any investigation, this would be looked at.’

Michelle Imura, 4, is saddened by the sudden death (Picture: SWNS)

The Goose even had a picture of himself on the village sign (Picture: SWNS)