PIGEONS may be blasted to death in a council pest control programme.

Blackburn public services committee will decide tomorrow night whether a programme of shooting and trapping should be used to control the borough's feral pigeon population.

Councillors will be told long-term control is best achieved by trapping, though in some circumstances shooting can achieve a more rapid reduction in numbers, or for dealing with a localised problem.

A main problem with trapping is finding suitable sites where pigeons feed out of sight and reach of the public, says a report to the committee.

Over the last year, 239 birds were trapped in the borough, though work had to stop at one site in Darwen because of hostility from a few members of the public.

The council has identified 10 locations where shooting could be undertaken.

This would have to be done at weekends or in the evenings and would require the co-operation of property owners.

Councillors will also consider measures for educating the public about the problems associated with feral pigeons.

These could include distributing leaflets to people eating sandwiches in the town centres.

Currently there is no specific offence relating to feeding pigeons.

Enforcement action can only be taken in terms of littering, depositing refuse in the open air, or, on private premises, providing food for vermin.

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