The Metro reports London wildlife is facing a mortal threat from the vast plastic waste left in public parks and on the streets. Distressing images, released by charity Royal Parks, shows the endless ways that rubbish can endanger an animal’s life – from stags suffocating from plastic bags to hedgehogs trapped in deflated balloons.

The coronavirus lockdown has added an extra layer of misery for London’s wildlife, with discarded facemasks and leftover takeaway containers proving to be hazardous to animals.