Call to protect pigeons nesting under rail bridge

Amy Hamilton estimates that hundreds of pigeons have been rescued at the site

An animal welfare campaigner has accused a railway company of causing "unnecessary suffering" to pigeons by allowing them to nest under a bridge.

Amy Hamilton said she wanted Network Rail to complete its gridding - a type of protective mesh - underneath the railway bridge at Shenfield in Essex.

The 39-year-old said her fellow campaigners had rescued hundreds of injured birds, some of which were babies that fell from their nests on to the road.

Network Rail said it would send a contractor to the site.

"It's not something you want to see on your commute; birds suffering or the mess from the birds," said Ms Hamilton.

"It's a problem all round, whether you love pigeons or you just want a clean commute."

The bridge has no protective gridding in areas directly above the road

In 2023, Network Rail installed the gridding after complaints about the pigeon poo on the road and the corrosive effect on the metal bridge.

But the metal beams directly above the road are still exposed.

David Worsfold, a Liberal Democrat councillor on Brentwood Borough Council, said the local authority was "intensively cleaning" the pavements twice a week.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "Protective mesh is already in place on the Shenfield rail bridges to deter birds from nesting, however, we are aware that some pigeons have accessed spaces behind the mesh.

"A specialist contractor is being engaged to assess the structure and identify any entry points so they can be securely closed off."