IN response to both M Alexander and Arnold Harrison's support of our town's increasing pigeon population, I can't help but look on in amazement at the single-minded attitude shown by both parties.

Pigeons are wild birds capable of finding their own food. Human food does not contain the ingredients that the birds require for good health.

Feeding pigeons attracts them to areas that are not natural to them and exposes them to the risk of injury. This is why you often see pigeons with feet and wing injuries.

Feeding results in all-year breeding, which causes overcrowding. The birds become stressed and disease and parasites spread quickly.

Large flocks of pigeons can drive smaller birds away from feeding sites. The pigeons can also spread disease to other birds, reducing their populations.

Even the RSPB opposes feeding pigeons. Mr Harrison also forgets that dogs and hamsters don't fly above your head when they go to the toilet.

Of course we don't see dead or ill pigeons, but then not many people dying in Bolton Royal decide to have a last quick stroll around the town centre, do they?

I assume water tanks and lofts are where the pigeons die, and I doubt that this council has a policy to leave dead birds lying around.

Maybe, as bird lovers, these two would prefer the town's taxpayers to pay for bird spikes to be erected around the shopping centres and my house. That shouldn't cost more than a couple of hundred thousand pounds, after they spend two years debating what colour to paint them.

If people feel compelled to feed birds, feed the ducks in the park.

Steve Jones

Blackburn Road

Bolton

M Alexander's comments take this debate to a whole new level though.