SIR: I would like to point out to Mrs E Batten (Viewpoint, July 31), the fact that rabbits and pigeons are vermin and are both eaten, as opposed to rats, was exactly the point I was making in my letter about pigeon pie (Viewpoint, July 22). The unsociable habits of our feathered friends is another issue altogether. As far as I know, no-one has been injured by, or caught a serious disease from a Town Hall pigeon, or its droppings. Dogs and dog dirt pose a far greater health risk, although, admittedly, not on the Town Hall square.

If it's the mess that concerns Mrs Batten maybe she should think about the people who discard their chewing gum on our pavements, or indulge in the obscene habit of spitting on the floor.

Brian Derbyshire, Ribchester Grove, Bolton

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