Man fined for feeding crumbs from butty to pigeons

A man says he was fined £100 for feeding crumbs from a bacon butty to pigeons.

James Quirke, 29, said he was eating his sandwich in a square in Boston, Lincolnshire, when he threw some of the crumbs to a flock of pigeons that had gathered around him.

He was "shocked" when two enforcement officers then approached him and told him he had committed an offence.

Feeding wild birds in parts of Boston is banned and the borough council said the officer issuing the fixed penalty notice had conducted themselves correctly and professionally.

Quirke, who works at a local college, was sitting on a wall in Market Place when the incident happened on Saturday.

He said he saw two uniformed men watching him as he ate his breakfast roll, but thought nothing of it.

"The men approached me and said they'd been filming me and that I'd committed an offence," he said.

"I was shocked. If I'd known it was banned, I wouldn't have done it."

In September 2024, the council introduced a public spaces protection order (PSPO) that banned the feeding of pigeons and other wild birds in parts of the town centre.

At the time, the council said the measure was intended to deter the birds and reduce fouling.

Historic buildings including St Botolph's Church – known as the Stump – had been affected by bird droppings, which are corrosive and can cause damage to stonework.

Quirke, who lives in the village of Gosberton, about 10 miles from Boston, said he would dispute the fine because he had been unaware feeding the birds was an offence.

"If you look around the square, the signs are damaged," he added. "There is a fixed penalty notice [sign], but it's not at eye level and the writing is very small."

He argued enforcement officers should be trying to educate the public, adding: "It seemed a bit predatory, because the officers were watching me the whole time and they made no effort to approach me and say what I was doing was against the law."

Councillor Callum Butler, portfolio holder for environmental services, said the introduction of the PSPO had been widely publicised and the council continued to educate members of the public about it.

"The council has reviewed the incident and we are satisfied the officer conducted themselves in the correct manner and was professional at all times," Butler said.

"Details are provided on the fixed penalty notice informing the recipient how they can make a representation if they believe the notice was incorrectly issued."

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