A pigeon cull on Ipswich Waterfront has been suspended following plans from protestors to “disrupt” the event.

Ipswich Star: University of Suffolk Waterfront building, Ipswich WaterfrontUniversity of Suffolk Waterfront building, Ipswich Waterfront (Image: Archant)

Associated British Ports (ABP) suspended its planned pigeon cull following a petition against the controlled killing and a planned protest to debunk it.

Animal lover and carer Molly Potter, 21, organised a protest against on the cull for Sunday, November 18 and has called for activists to protest outside the port offices this week.

On Facebook Miss Potter told the 150 would-be protestors that she wanted them to be “as disruptive as possible”.

Ipswich Star: Molly Potter with her rescue pigeon Zazu Picture: MOLLY POTTERMolly Potter with her rescue pigeon Zazu Picture: MOLLY POTTER (Image: Archant)

Protestors had painted billboards for the event and were planning to save pigeons from being shot in the cull.

But spokesman for ABP has now said: “ABP has taken the decision to suspend the proposed pigeon cull, whilst we take advice from the appropriate environmental organisations on the latest alternative solutions available to us.”

Miss Potter was overjoyed by the latest development.

Ipswich Star: A activist painted this depiction of a pigeon for the protest Picture: TALLULAH ADAMSA activist painted this depiction of a pigeon for the protest Picture: TALLULAH ADAMS (Image: Archant)

She said: “It’s absolutely marvellous that it has been suspended.

“We will continue to do everything in the background, if we don’t keep the pressure up I don’t know if the suspension will hold.”

If the cull goes the ahead then Miss Potter and the other activists will be taking action.

Ipswich Star: Miss Potter organised the protest to disrupt the planned cull Picture: MOLLY POTTERMiss Potter organised the protest to disrupt the planned cull Picture: MOLLY POTTER (Image: Archant)

She said: “We are planning to be disruptive, we just want to find a peaceful solution to this going forward.”

Miss Potter saved a pigeon called Zazu last year after he fell out of the nest.

She said: “They are such intelligent and beautiful birds, it breaks my heart that people can do this and think of them as pests.”

21-year-old Lauren Bruen, a student at the University of Suffolk, co-created a petition calling for the prime minister to stop the pigeon cull.

Miss Bruen said: “Once I was aware of the cull I knew I wanted to do something about it.

“I believe that the amount of litter humans throw (which is made clear by images of Ipswich areas) is a reminder that we are to blame.

“A cull isn’t going to improve any situation.”