The dead birds, estimated to have been dumped between six and eight weeks ago, had been shot and then discarded on land at Persehall Manor Farm in Bunwell, near Long Stratton.

Eastern Daily Press: Bags of dead pheasants were dumped on land at a farm in Bunwell. Picture: Nick DentBags of dead pheasants were dumped on land at a farm in Bunwell. Picture: Nick Dent (Image: Archant)

When Nick Dent was trimming hedges on his mother's farm he made a horrible discovery. Hidden in the growth were eight black bin liners with pheasants inside - a further two bags were discovered in another area of the hedgerow.

Mr Dent said: 'I am appalled someone has dumped the carcasses. It is just despicable that someone would do this.'

Mr Dent said the farm is often a target for fly-tippers - a problem which has been quite prevalent across south Norfolk.

'It makes a difference to the normal items of sofas, batteries and household items,' he said. 'We had rubble dumped in gateway the past few days. It is a regular occurrence.'

Liam Stokes, head of shooting at the Countryside Alliance, said the organisation disapproves with dumping the birds.

He said: 'We condemn this because it is completely unnecessary. Pheasants are a wild free range food source so people should shoot them and eat them or sell them to people who eat them.

'There is a booming market out there and people will take them.

'If this is the case of birds being dumped [after being shot] then we wholeheartedly condemn this but we would need to see more evidence of this.'