Rail company Northern has issued an urgent plea for commuters not to feed pigeons at Manchester Victoria railway station.
People have been seen feeding pigeons at stations including Manchester Victoria in central Manchester and at Castleford and Bingley in West Yorkshire. But Northern said feeding the pigeons causes many more to flock there - and the problem is never-ending.As a result, the travelling public are being urged not to feed pigeons, or leave unwanted food lying on or around platforms, at a number of stations, including Victoria in Manchester.
Pre-recorded hawk noises were also played out of speakers at Driffield station in East Yorkshire and the roof was smeared with so-called 'fire gel' - which appears to a pigeon as ultraviolet light and tricks them into thinking the surface is too hot for them to land on. Spikes and netting, added the company, have proved more effective, but haven't completely solved the nesting and roosting problem.