Morpeth station sets up owl decoys for pigeon poo problem

Plastic owl decoys are among techniques used to deter pigeons

Plastic owl decoys have been set up at a railway station in an effort to tackle a pigeon poo problem.

Rail operator Northern said it had installed fake birds of prey at Morpeth station to deter pigeons that had created a "problematic poo hotspot".

Meanwhile at Driffield station, hawk sounds are to play every 30 minutes between 10:00 and 16:00.

Northern's regional director said it wanted to make pigeons "fly the coop in a way that is humane and harmless".

The operator said special ultraviolet gel would be used on ledges and roof trusses - which appears to pigeons as something unsuitable to land on - at Driffield and other stations.

The trials will continue until the end of November and, if successful, could be rolled out across the Northern network.

• The health risks of pigeon droppings

Northern's regional director, Kerry Peters, said: "We want to make sure our stations are a no-go area for pigeons .

"We clean all our stations regularly and we take the impact the mess has on our communities and the environment very seriously," she added.