TOMORROW is the deadline for last-ditch efforts to save Bournemouth's aviary.

Bird lovers fear some of the attraction's 300 birds will have to be destroyed if a sponsor has not been found to save the Lower Gardens attraction.

Councillors voted last month to axe the aviary in a bid to save £20,000 a year.

But it was given a stay of execution while a search went on for a sponsor to save it.

Peter Compton, parks operations manager for Bournemouth Borough Council, said last night: "We're progressing with discussions with some interested parties.

"I've got a deadline of this Friday to conclude any discussions and a final decision will be taken then on whether it's retained or closed."

More than 270 Daily Echo readers have filled in coupons calling on the council to save the attraction.

Deputy mayor Cllr David Baldwin, who is opposing the closure, said he did not accept that the true cost of keeping the aviary was £20,000 a year.

"There's definitely a public demand to keep it and I'm still of the opinion that the figures are wrong," he said.

The council has said the birds would be found new homes, probably with other councils, if the aviary closed.

But Cllr Baldwin feared some birds would have to be destroyed because they were not fit enough to be moved.

The aviary is home to around 300 birds, 90 per cent of which were donated by owners who were unable to keep them.

The attraction could fall victim to a budget crisis which hit the council's leisure and tourism department only three months into the financial year.

The department was on course to overspend by £630,000 and the closure was part of a £380,000 cuts package which also hit beach cleaning, tourist information and play areas.