Lincoln City use fake birds of prey to stop crows damaging pitch

Lincoln City replaced its pitch over the summer to improve drainage

A football club has installed models of birds of prey in a bid to prevent crows digging holes in its new pitch.

League One Lincoln City bought the plastic predators after other measures failed to deter the birds from burying food they found on the terraces in the turf.

Exasperated head groundsman Craig Housley posted pictures of the damage on social media and asked for advice.

He said the two fake raptors seemed to be working.

"Basically after the games the stands aren't cleaned down straight away," he said.

"Unfortunately, the crows like to go into the stands at the very end of the game and pick out their favourite sausage roll and burger pieces, go on to the pitch and bury it for later on when they feel a little bit peckish.

"We've got a fake owl and a fake eagle, and at the minute they seem to be doing their job, and no birds on the pitch at the moment."

The club had renovated the Sincil Bank playing surface over the summer with improved drainage and extra equipment to preserve the pitch during the season.