Proceeds will support Chris Packham's charity

Proceeds from a music single are to help a charity take on the grouse shooting industry.

Money raised by the track, A Distant Call, will go to the charity Wild Justice, founded by the conservationist and broadcaster Chris Packham.

Written by the band the Artisans, lyrics describes moors as the “rich man’s playground” and laments that “hares and grouse lie dead”. It will be released on August 12, known to country sports enthusiasts as the “glorious 12th”, which marks the start of the grouse-shooting season.

The industry is blamed for the deaths of dozens of birds of prey on grouse moors each year.

Packham recently published a video showing distressing images of a rare hen harrier which suffered serious injuries after being caught in a trap in South Lanarkshire.

He said of the grouse shooting industry: “It's out of control, obviously beyond any form of self-regulation, and is tolerant of an utter contempt for the laws which are meant to protect our wildlife.

"This woeful death zone in South Lanarkshire needs cleaning up and clearing out now. This is 2019, not 1860 and this sickening spectacle has to consign driven grouse shooting to the dustbin."