The Countryside Alliance has written to Darlington Borough Council after the Hopetown Darlington railway museum cancelled a free falconry display booked for 31 July. The birds of prey event, to have been run by the Walworth Birds of Prey team from Walworth Castle in County Durham, was pulled after objections from local vegan and animal rights groups. Why was the falconry display cancelled? Falconry itself is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, and display teams argue their birds are ambassadors for raptor conservation. Darlington Borough Council says future events at Hopetown will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and it has not ruled out hosting birds of prey events again.