BIRDS in a park aviary have been causing a squawk after injuring several inquisitive children.

Parents have complained their children have been bitten and pecked after putting their hands into the aviary in South Park, Darlington.

One contacted The Northern Echo to say his son had skin torn off his finger by a cockatiel, on Sunday.

He claimed another parent said a similar thing happened to her son, and that another child had been taken to a hospital accident and emergency department for xrays to suspected broken bones.

He has called for perspex to be fitted to the aviary because warning signs will not deter children.

However, council officials said there were three signs warning people not to feed the birds and not to put their fingers into the cage.

The signs also warned that it could not be guaranteed that the birds would not bite.

The parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The wire on the aviary is too small for an adult’s fingers, but perfectly sized for a young child.

“There are no signs other than the usual ‘Don’t feed the birds’ – nothing to warn that the parrots are actually dangerous.

“I watched as my son’s finger was peeled like a grape, and could do nothing to help.

“Obviously, I don’t want the bird put down, but something needs to be done to make the aviary safer – perspex sheeting over the wire would stop curious children poking their hands through.

“Warning signs won’t cut it – that’s just the council’s way of protecting itself.

“Next time – and there will be a next time unless something is done – a child may lose a finger.”

A Darlington Borough Council spokeswoman said: “It is always regrettable when any incident involving a child occurs and we do hope that the child in question has made a full recovery.

“There are signs advising of the dangers and we advise that parents do not let young children put their fingers through the double meshing, as the birds housed there are not domestic pets and we cannot guarantee they will not bite.”