Louth Town Hall bird nets 'killing pigeons'

A petition to remove the netting has gained more than 400 signatures

A pet shop owner is calling for anti-bird spikes and nets to be removed from a historic building in Lincolnshire.

Megan Johnson, 20, claimed the devices on Louth Town Hall cause pigeons to become trapped and die.

She has launched a petition that has gathered more than 400 signatures.

The owners of the listed building, which operates as a music and events centre, said they were "trying to solve the problem and had been trying since before any petition".

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Ms Johnson said as a listed building the Town Hall needed to be protected but wanted a "more humane" method.

"The issue is the birds are trying to land and they're obviously getting their feet caught and that's what causing them to then sort of hang upside down," she said.

"They are just obviously dying of starvation and panic. It is just not nice to see."

The former town hall is now a music and events venue

Andy Howlett from the community company that runs the venue said they were checking for trapped pigeons every day.

"We do not want any birds to suffer," he said

"The nets were installed by the previous owners, East Lindsey District Council, to protect the structure of the building as pigeon faeces can cause damage to sandstone.

He said the company was talking to local businesses to try and find "another deterrent".

Local pest controller Andy Gough said pigeons "do cause serious issues, ascetically and structurally, and also diseases".