REGARDING your front page leader (June 26), headlined "Feed the Pigeons and Face a Fine".

I found the tone of it and the comments of some of its contributors both offensive and patronising.

It is a sad indictment of present day society that anyone could consider ridding our town of our much loved wild birds, whether they be pigeons, starlings or sparrows. Do we really want future generations to grow up not knowing the simple pleasures of feeding and watching birds?

Pigeons are delightful birds, trusting yet vulnerable, friendly but at the same time nervous. They bring joy to many people, and add real quality of life to shoppers and visitors to the town. Stop giving them a bad press.

The article was a hotch-potch of feeble excuses, none of which holds water.

The dropping of litter, such as half eaten takeaways, and the deliberate feeding of pigeons are two entirely different things.

Rats do not come into the equation at all. They would still remain despite an absence of pigeons.

The corrosive actions on buildings from their droppings is negligible in Bolton. Proof is in the fact that our Town Hall is still standing after 131 years of pigeon residents.

Now may I make a few constructive suggestions?

Encourage those who wish to feed the pigeons to exercise common sense.

Give crumbs of bread and specially purchased wild bird seed. Wait until the birds have "cleaned up" as they will almost immediately.

Suggest that those who have businesses in town wash down their own patch each day.

Put the nets up if you must - pigeons will always find somewhere to roost.

And finally (and this is to those who are giving out misinformation), read a good book on birds, such as those issued by the RSPB, and then leave our pigeons alone. They control themselves by natural selection.

It is worth remembering that one town's so-called vermin is another town's tourist attraction.

Mrs V I Harris

Smithills area