HIGH pressure hoses were being used today to clean benches covered with pigeon droppings in the town.And people in the town have been warned not to feed the birds as it leads to excess mess which needs to be cleaned.

HIGH pressure hoses were being used today to clean benches covered with pigeon droppings in the town.

And people in the town have been warned not to feed the birds as it leads to excess mess which needs to be cleaned.

Streetcare customer services team leader Glynis Wood said: “We are trying to educate members of the public not to feed the pigeons. They really do not need it and all it does is increase the bird's output. It is to the detriment of everyone - the pedestrians that pass the site and those who want to sit down on the benches there.”

The Streetcare team claim some people arrive with big black bags of stale food but insist that the pigeons are natural foragers, who would return to Christchurch Park to find their natural diet if they were not being fed. There have been reports of children slipping in the mess so there is a safety hazard to consider as well.

Mrs Wood added: “There are signs up there now to prevent people from feeding them. We are not doing this to be mean, it is for everyone's benefit as we want to make the area look nice and skid-free.”