Children have been shooting wildlife in an idyllic pond in incidents branded "sickening" by the council.

A man who frequents the lake within the grounds of Ewell Court House reported seeing at least four boys on bicycles, aged between 10 and 15, using catapults to shoot at birds, ducks and geese, at 3pm and then 7pm last Wednesday, June 10.

The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, said he was shocked by the attacks which he said called into question the borough's reputation as a "civilised place".

An Epsom Council spokesman said a member of the public had made it aware of the "sickening events", police have been informed and ranger patrols stepped-up.

The witness said: "I saw children killing the birds in Ewell Court using catapults on two occasions on Wednesday.

"The birds come up to the fence around the pond.

"These people were shooting them from about 3ft away.

"After the first incident I went over the fence myself after they had run away. "I found a pigeon completely ripped up.

"I took it to the Wildlife Aid Foundation (WAF) where it is now being treated.

"They [the children] were jumping across the pond into the enclosure. They were jumping in there and coming back over the fence. Whatever they were killing they were picking up.

"Firing anything at wildlife is illegal and wrong.

"It’s not normal behaviour.

"I couldn’t believe it.

"I shouted at them and they ran off."

He said he understood that a large number of birds had disappeared from the lake recently.

"There are birds there that you get used to and you think ‘why is it not here?’ It now begins to make sense," the witness said.

"Epsom is regarded as quite a civilised place and this is the opposite."

A spokesman for Surrey Police said it had been made aware of "an incident in the grounds of Ewell Court whereby several birds are said to have been injured".

He added: "Officers were notified on June 10 that at around 3pm a group of youths had been witnessed attacking wildlife in the area."

An Epsom Council spokesman said: "We have pulled rangers from other necessary duties in order to increase patrols in the park.

"This is criminal activity and the police have been informed."

Your Local Guardian:

He added: "The rangers have not noted any diminished level of wildlife in recent weeks.

"One of the ducks that was reported as being injured was sitting on eggs, rangers took the decision to leave the bird in situ."

Tim Webb, spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), said the children could face a caution, a criminal record, or a fine if caught.

In some cases, a prison sentence can be handed to perpetrators.

He said: "These things seems to come up quite often where young kids are testing the boundaries of society and themselves, particularly within peer groups and tend to take things a bit too far and nature is seen as dispensible. But it's not dispensible.

"It's a criminal offence, they are breaking the law and I would urge them to rethink their actions.

"Nature is important for us historically and culturally, but increasingly for our emotional and psychological health - so much research has shown the benefits to us of nature.

"It's an incredibly anti-social act."

Your Local Guardian:

Simon Cowell, founder of WAF, said the incidents were "incredibly sad".

"It's very hard to control it," he said. 

"Use of air rifles and bow and arrows should be made illegal, but with catapults it's very difficult as you can make one.

"It's about parental control to a degree and education - educating kids to have some respect for the environment.

"We are already losing habitats, we don't need this accelerated through sheer stupidity."

Mr Cowell said shooting a catapult at short range would be enough to kill a small bird or break one's wing.

Anyone with any information should call the police on 101 quoting the reference 45150050167.

Do you have any information about the incidents? Contact Hardeep Matharu by calling 020 8722 6346 or email hmatharu@london.newsquest.co.uk.