PRESTON'S pigeon population could be moved on as council bosses try to lure them away from the town centre.

Earlier this year a group of naked campaigners protested at the Preston Borough Council's pigeon culling policy, and successfully persuaded councillors to ban the regular shooting sprees.

Since then council workers have been pleading with shoppers and workers to stop feeding the pigeons, in an attempt to control their numbers by cutting off their food supply.

But six months on, a report due to be shown to the borough's environment committee today Thursday, claims that the pigeon population is on the rise again - and something needs to be done.

Several options are now being considered, including putting cage traps up on Preston's historic buildings which are being eroded away by the pigeons' poisonous droppings.

The introduction of netting or spikes on buildings, along with nesting boxes are also being considered, but council bosses say none of these will solve the problem.

Now feeding sites away from the town centre are being proposed, including parks, in a bid to lure the pigeons away from the areas they cause most damage.

A council spokesman said: "People are continuing to feed the pigeons and, as long as they have a source of food, their numbers will continue to grow.

"All of the possible methods of control are good but they depend on restricting access to food, which is why feeding them in other designated areas is one idea."

The spokesman added: "Since stopping the shoots, the numbers of pigeons on the flag market and nearby areas seems to have increased."

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