St Edward's College staff and students are calling for a halt to illegal hunting outside the school grounds after an injured rare bird landed on the college football pitch.

Staff at the Cottonera school have complained of continuous shooting around the school walls and within the 200-metre no-hunting zone.

Assistant head Neville Thomas said: "The students aren't in danger, but what's happening right outside our grounds is illegal - and the hunters are getting away with it."

This incident proved to be the final straw for many students at the college, which was the first school in Malta to promote animal awareness.

A Marsh Harrier was shot by hunters in fields adjacent to the college and the bird landed on the football pitch. Sustaining two broken legs and a broken wing, it was examined by a vet before being put down.

"The boys picked it up and called Birdlife for assistance. The students were in tears; it was a pitiful scene," Mr Thomas said.

The school's assistant head is evidently frustrated at the lack of enforcement from district police, saying his requests often fell on deaf ears.

"They keep passing the buck. Once I went to report (the illegal hunting) to Żabbar police but I was told that the hunters just disappear when police approach."

However, a hunter in the area was arrested by the police's Administrative Law Enforcement unit in recent days over possession of an electronic bird caller. Other hunters who shot at protected birds left the area before the unit arrived.

Mr Thomas said: "They are hunting from the edge of the road, sometimes 100 metres away from the school. The shooting is rampant at around 8.30 a.m."

The area is difficult to monitor, since hunters communicate with each other via radio and mobile phones.

Birdlife officials have visited the area to probe the illegal practices, which include the use of electronic bird callers and shooting within 200 metres of a school. Bird-watchers even reported hunters shooting at a flock of racing pigeons.

Birdlife president Joseph Mangion said the ornithological organisation had received several reports from other teachers about hunters shooting right next to their schools.

"We also continuously receive reports from the public about shooting next to their homes, people being showered by lead pellets and some being subjected to aggression from certain hunters while walking in the countryside," he said.