Vulnerable to the elements, with their feathers not yet fully formed on their backs, these baby birds were left dumped in a box in the middle of West Bromwich.

The two pigeon chicks were spotted by an Express & Star reader who called the RSPCA after being shocked to see them huddled together in a cardboard box among the bin bags.

The reader, who did not want to be named, said: “I think there must have been a nest nearby and someone has removed it and put the birds out with the rubbish.

“Some people say pigeons are vermin but these are just babies and they are only trying to survive.

“There was an adult pigeon overhead keeping watch but there was nothing it could do,” the reader added.

The box was spotted just after two o’clock yesterday afternoon opposite Poundland and Betster in High Street.

The situation has been reported to the RSPCA and West Bromwich police.