CITY OF YORK Council has three weeks to come up with a solution to re-house 50 geese in Rowntree Park - or the animals will be killed.

The news comes after Oscar-winning Dame Judi Dench pledged her support to save the geese and after two organisations offered to re-house them.

Councillor Bob Scrase, ex-chairman of leisure services, confirmed today that the council had received a licence to cull 50 geese, but said nothing would happen for three weeks while they try to find a solution.

He said: "The cull will go ahead if other options don't work out.

"We have got the licence to cull the geese. However, the whole thing is still on hold and that would be the last resort. We would be much keener to see them transferred.

We are checking the legal position with the DETR, and we won't be doing anything until that is clarified."

Dame Judi said she was horrified that the geese might be culled. She said: "It's an outrageous situation, especially as other organisations have offered to take them."

The death of the birds by lethal injection was approved by the leisure services committee last December. A petition signed by 80 people had said geese droppings were creating a health hazard.