A British housewife was horrified to discover 100 dead birds in her front garden.

Julie Knight, 53, from Somerset in the south of England had to call in the RSPCA to collect the dead Starlings which, according to a neighbour, had suddenly tumbled out of the sky and fallen dead into her garden, where she found them lying there with blood oozing from their beaks.

Julie said: "The sky was raining Starlings - one of my neighbours saw them. I've never seen anything like it."

An animal expert said the only plausible explanation for the deaths was that the flock were being chased by a bird of prey and hit the ground as they changed direction.