A great-grandmother has been threatened with court action and an ASBO after her local council got into a flap over her bird feeding habits.
Pensioner June Coton, 80, has been feeding starlings, sparrows and other wild birds in for the last 20 years.
But now her local council has warned her that her hobby could land her in a spot of trouble after officers ruled she was 'excessively' feeding 'feral birds'.
Coventry City Council, who own her terrace bungalow, have sent her a letter ordering her to refrain from 'excessive' feeding of 'feral birds'.
Mrs Coton was told she could be hauled before magistrates, fined or even handed an anti-social behaviour order if she continues indulging in her favourite pastime.
The grandmother of four and great-grandmother of one, was given the notice last week after she returned home from hospital following a fall.
Her small back garden has one bird table, one bird bath and three small bird feeders filled with nuts and balls of seed.
But the council claim large flocks of birds are an environmental hazard, causing damage to neighbouring properties.
The feisty pensioner said there are never more than 30 birds feeding in her garden each day and the letter was a step too far.
She said: 'It's ridiculous, it's a harmless pastime that millions of people do up and down the country and which I have done for 20 years or so.
'I like seeing my garden filled with wild birds, I plant a wide variety of shrubs and flowers in the summer so there is a lot of life there.
'To threaten to drag me before the courts and fine me is nothing short of ridiculous.'
'They (birds) don't cause much of a mess and they stay in my garden only. There is a chap who lives nearby who keeps pigeon lofts but nothing has been said to him.'
She added she was not going to stop feeding the birds and that council officers would have to 'put her in prison.'
Charity the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have backed the pensioner's actions and encouraged more people to do the same.
Spokeswoman Gabrielle Layzell: 'We would never tell people to stop feeding garden birds, especially at this time of year when food is scarce.
Coventry City Council said the warning had been issued following a complaint by one of June's neighbours.
Spokesman Gareth Lewis said: 'We have a duty to respond to complaints and advise people on environmental issues.
'While legal action is an option where an environmental nuisance is being caused it is very much a last resort.
'In this case we have simply sent Mrs Coton an advisory letter to make sure she is aware of the problem.
'However if she persists in this practise, we could have the power to issue a court summons, which could result in a fine or an anti-social behaviour order.'
5 people have spoken:
Yet another Tory council abusing the rules.
A sign of things to come if the Tories ever get into Westminster.
Ian sadly its to do with sodding Guardian non jobs filling up each and every council the length of this once great land.
With countless Eu directives, advice and rules pushed through via New Labour quangos, advisers and spin merchants.
Labour have turned us into a police state with thousands of rules inflicted only on the law abiding, whilst the feckless and criminal carry on as before.
Too damm right. Most of them sparrows are armed to the teeth. Vicious little buggers. High on trill they then go on a mugging spree. And don't get me started on the tits... although that might be just the Cov council.
Why not fit the little birdies with mini cameras then they could film people going about their crime ridden lives: hanging out excessive washing, mowing the lawn with an governmentally destructive mower,leaving bin lids up, putting the wrong kind of rubbish out... etc?
WOW slip of the spell check I meant environmentally destructive not governmentally destructive. :D
Right, that's it.
I'm off to buy five pounds of bird seed and will distribute it freely for our avian friends.
That'll give the fuckers something to think about.
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