Residents have been left horrified by an apparent act of animal "torture" in their midst.
A young bird, possibly a crow, is said to have been disembowelled and set on fire.
Fresh entrails were piled neatly on a riverside bench in Conwy, Wales, alongside scorched grass and part-burnt feathers, North Wales Live reports.
A £200 reward is being offered for information leading to the prosecution of the "evil" culprit.
One resident, who has taken it upon himself to investigate the incident, believes that it may be linked to a TikTok trend involving animal cruelty.
Most are “pranks” that leave animals distressed but some involve extreme violence and even killings.
Bryn Jones has no evidence to back up his theory but he is determined to find those responsible for what he believes was a clear case of torture.
Urging residents to report their suspicions to the police, he said: “Silence is not an option. This may be your cat next and these people need help.”
Mr Jones examined photos of the dead bird before they were deleted from Facebook. He said they “tick all the boxes of scenes I have witnessed of proven incidents of animal torture by youths probably live streaming what they are doing”.
The incident is reported to have happened on Saturday evening on a slate bench by the River Conwy. According to Mr Jones, multiple pin feathers were scattered nearby, suggesting it was a newly fledged bird.
When he posted an appeal for information on Facebook, it sparked outrage from Llanrwst’s residents. One woman said it made her feel “sick to my stomach”.
She added: “The people that did this must be brought to justice. There will be DNA on the matches. CCTV in the area. This evil must be stopped.”
Another person said: “My god this is awful, how can anybody be so cruel? If they can do that to a innocent little bird, what else are they capable of? Dread to think.”
At this stage it's not known whether the bird was already dead before it was set alight, or whether carrion animals had inflicted its injuries post-mortem. It is understood the bird’s remains have since been binned.
But Mr Jones has few doubts it was a deliberated act of mutilation. “People won’t confront horror on their doorstep,” he told North Wales Live. “There is also a fear of reprisals.”
Parents are being asked to talk to their children, and head teachers to pupils, to establish what exactly happened. The incident has yet to be reported to RSPCA Cymru but the animal charity said the allegations were a concern.
A spokesperson said: “These are worrying allegations and we’d urge anyone with information to contact our emergency line on 0300 1234 999.
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, wild birds are legally protected from being intentionally taken, injured or killed. In some circumstances, wild birds may also be protected under the Animal Welfare Act.”
Other residents are concerned about the general level of littering and vandalism in the town.
At the weekend Lisa Packham took photos of damage inflicted to a picnic table in a park where she regularly exercises her dogs.
“I take a soft drink and a sandwich to eat on the bench but I couldn’t that day, due to the burns and rubbish,” she said.
“I was devastated to see what had been done to the picnic table and see so much litter thrown around. It’s disgraceful!”
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