news.today
Hello · Register today | LoginHello · My Account[—] [33]
UK

Police investigate pig heads found in Northern Ireland park

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 1 Nov, 19:03 · Archive

Pig heads were discovered in Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor, County Down, on Saturday morning, prompting a police investigation.

Decapitated pig heads were found in Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor, County Down, early on Saturday morning. One was impaled on a wooden stick, and they were accompanied by a sign reading 'here piggy piggy' in red spray paint. A dog-walker discovered them and alerted local groups and authorities.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed it is investigating the incident. Officers said they are keeping an open mind as to the motivation and considering all potential lines of enquiry. The local council said it is aware of the incident and working with police and other authorities.

Some in the community have suggested it could have been a Halloween prank, given the timing. However, Metro reports that independent councillor Mark Gibbons doubted children were responsible, saying the stake driven into the ground was 'huge'. Gibbons also told the BBC that his Facebook post about the incident attracted 'race-hate-filled comments', which he had to delete and ban users for.

A local resident who discovered the heads said that whether or not it was a Halloween prank, it had 'crossed the line from harmless fun to something disgusting'. Speaking to the BBC, he added: 'There's absolutely no need for this in a public park. It's disturbing, unhygienic and shows a complete lack of consideration for everyone else using the space.'

Counsellor Mark Gibbons condemned the display as 'vile, sickening and utterly disgraceful', writing on Facebook that 'Halloween is no excuse for such a revolting act'. He noted that the park is a public space used by families and children, and said whoever was responsible 'should be ashamed'. He declined to share images of the discovery, calling them 'disturbing'.

Families were urged to stay away from the area on Saturday to allow authorities to deal with the situation. The heads have since been removed.

Police investigate pig heads found in Northern Ireland park
Image: The Independent

Comments (0)

How it is being reported

In this story: Kilbroney Park · Rostrevor · County Down · Police Service of Northern Ireland · Newry, Mourne and Down District Council · Mark Gibbons

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log