BIRD BILL’S NOT CHEEP

THE bill for controlling pigeon and gull numbers has nearly doubled to £830,000 over the past three years.

Methods used by councils in England include pigeon-proofing buildings and using marksmen or hawks to kill the pests. The spending also covered clearing up pigeon droppings and removing dead birds.

The biggest spender on bird control was the London Borough of Southwark, which has shelled out £393,000 since 2013.