READERS have turned to Facebook to air their views about the town's pigeons. Here is a selection: Phil Bower said: "The pigeons are a menace in the town centre. Sadly there is no humane method of extermination yet they bring and spread disease and excrement. It is all part of making Northwich a more pleasant place to shop, and part of a wider range of measures to improve the environment in the town."

Kelly Peach said: "Thank goodness it's being dealt with. The mess they've made is horrendous at the top of town. The buildings are covered in white bird poo. Unless you've worked in one of the buildings you probably won't realise how bad it is."

Lorna Herrieven-Smith said: "So stop feeding the pigeons, they starve and then die? Is that what the enforcement is for then? What a nice thing to teach our future generation.

"When did we, as a human race, become hierarchy over other animals exactly? Please can you tell me what section of the law this is as well please? And when did it become country law to stop feeding the wildlife?"

Lee Hansell said: "It's got nothing to do with the fact that there are countless takeaways at the top of town, it's got to be the one or two people feeding pigeons every now and then. It's got nothing to do with the litter, even though you can't walk from the bottom to the top of town without seeing a pasty on the floor. This has rather annoyed me."

Susan Higgins said: "Instead of worrying about feeding the birds the council should be worrying about all the empty shops and getting them open again. The council are more bothered about changing this road and that road to worry over the empty shops."