A local Councillor is calling for an end to the practice of giving live animals as prizes.

Alan Hale, who represents Keynsham South on Bath and North East Somerset Council, said: “It was brought to my attention by at least two people in my ward. I also made contact with the RSPCA and got a bit of background.”

He added: “The use of goldfish as prizes used to happen quite frequently.”

In England, there is no nation-wide ban on giving live animals as prizes to people over the age of 16, despite concerns for the welfare of the animals and a ban being in place in Scotland. The RSPCA is calling for local authorities to step in and ban the practice.

Mr Hale is proposing a motion to go before Bath and North East Somerset Council’s full Council meeting on 21st September calling on the Council to implement an “outright ban” on the giving of live animals as prizes on council land, and to write to the government urging a change in the law.

He said: “It’s a very straightforward motion that hopefully we will agree on and support.”