Bird-brained council chiefs have threatened a 93-year-old pensioner with an ASBO – for repeatedly feeding pigeons.
Edwin Johnson Flit could become the oldest person in Britain to be slapped with an antisocial behaviour order after disgruntled neighbours complained about his feathered friends.
The animal-lover attracted so many birds that residents at his sheltered housing block in Nottingham wrote to the council to complain about the amount of pigeon droppings on their balconies.
One was so plastered with faeces that a specialist cleaning team had to be brought in to decontaminate the outside of their home.
Nottingham City Homes wrote to Edwin ten times warning him about the problem and claimed he was “endangering public health.”
He has now been asked to sign a voluntary acceptable behaviour contract to stop feeding the birds – but he has refused.
Now the defiant pensioner could be issued with an ASBO if he is seen leaving any food out for the birds.
He was even told by council staff that if he is caught feeding pigeons in his local park he could face prosecution – for littering.
Defiant Edwin said he feels victimised by the “heavy-handed” tactics.
He said: “They say that if I feed the pigeons again, I am breaking all their rules and regulations.
“I have fed them in the past, but not through the window like they say I did.
“It’s not just my window that the pigeons land on and yet City Homes are only going after me.
“I feel victimised and their approach feels very heavy-handed and unnecessary.”
At a meeting held last Tuesday with Nottingham City Homes and Community Protection – which involves the police and city council – Edwin promised not to feed the pigeons within the grounds of the high-rise flats.
Nottingham City Homes – which runs the accommodation on behalf of the city council – will send out a copy of the verbal agreement and a map with the boundaries of where Edwin is banned from feeding the birds.
Edwin added: “To me, all animals are God’s creatures and I don’t understand why they are pursuing this like they are.
“I’ve stopped feeding the pigeons off my balcony but I still go to the park and I don’t know what harm that is doing.
“It’s just a little thing but it’s something I enjoy and I feel like I can’t do it any more because they will take whatever action against me they want.”
Nottingham City Homes is now considering putting up netting.
A spokesman said: “We’ve repeatedly asked Mr Flint to stop feeding the pigeons but he has continued.
“The problem has become so severe that we are having to consider putting netting up on the outside of Winchester Court to stop the pigeons from landing on the tenants’ balconies.
“That will cost a lot of money and spoil everyone else’s enjoyment of the great views and outdoors.
“This man is in his 90s and we have no desire to prosecute him – we just want him to understand that what he is doing is causing a lot of distress to his neighbours and is putting their health at risk.
“After meeting with him, we hope he understands how serious this is – and we’ll be making sure he sticks to his commitment to not feed the birds.”
