Most seaside towns face a seagull problem where winged menaces are known to swoop down, steal chips and generally cause a nuisance.
But one area of Plymouth is battling with a different kind of bird.
Residents in Desborough Road, St Judes have simply had enough of pesky pigeons.
Locals are demanding action because a ‘gang’ of the birds repeatedly poo all over doorsteps, ledges and window sills.
The problem is so bad the pigeons, which number around 60 on the street, are now seen as a health hazard.
One homeowner was forced to stage her late husband’s wake away from her home due to the build-up of poo.
Barbara Smyth, 80, gets on her hands and knees everyday to wipe pigeon poo off her front steps.
‘I have to scrape it and then brush up all the bits,’ she said.
‘I have to do it every day. Something needs to be done.
‘I want the council to do something. I feel victimised, to be honest, it’s none of my doing.’
Plymouth City Council says there is little they can do about the problem.
The local authority’s environmental protection team told Barbara the pigeons are legally protected so can’t be killed.
A ‘significant risk to public health or safety’ must be demonstrated before the council can take action.
They said homeowners can take steps to prevent pigeons roosting but it is not able to take enforcement action.
Meanwhile, a pest control company quoted Barbara £1,000 to bird proof her home but she said it is unaffordable.
She said the pigeon problem started last year after a bunch of them nested at a nearby home.
The building belongs to Diane Martin and her husband Kevin who say the birds staked their claim when a slate broke.
They have been unable to fix the problem because Diane has been treated for cancer and was told the work on the roof would be too disruptive for her.
Kevin eventually managed to fix the roof himself but the pigeons still nest on top and won’t budge.
Diane said: ‘We do not feed or encourage the pigeons. We have to keep cleaning up all the time.
‘We tried to get rid of them, we had a scarecrow, and a noise only they could hear which was supposed to scare them – but it didn’t work.
‘We tried to trap them and take them away, but they came back. We have spent about £300, the deterrents are not cheap and don’t work.’
Diane was told a possible option could be to shoot the birds but said: ‘I don’t want to do that. I want a humane solution.
‘I have also tried asking the council but they are no help. I would have thought it was their job, but they don’t seem interested.
‘I want rid of the pigeons as much as the next person. I’m at my wit’s end and don’t know what to do.’
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