Bird lovers flock to erotic show

One of Britain's most respected animal charities is hosting a stall at an exhibition of erotica in a bid to encourage "open minded" bird lovers. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has ruffled feathers by embarking on a membership drive at an adult entertainment show.



The charity, whose patron is the Queen, has set up a stand at the sex exhibition Erotica 2010, in a bid to sign up new supporters. The adult lifestyle show in London promotes a succession of striptease artists, and sells lingerie and pornographic material. But visitors to this weekend's show were surprised to see burlesque dancers wearing feathers adorning a stall manned by the RSPB.

The traditional charity employed risque slogans urging visitors to "come and frolic in our wetlands," while touting T-shirts featuring a pair of Great Tits and a Shag. Those attending the exhibition in London's Olympia looking for X-rated entertainment were told "If you're into birds come and join us".



One visitor said he was "stunned" to see the traditional charity's stall next to a stand selling racy lingerie. Nik Shelton, a spokesman for the RSPB said the stall, which took up position on Friday, was attracting a lot of attention. He said: "We know that our members are a very open-minded bunch and come from all walks of life. We have been getting a lot of interest - and some are already members."