Woman, 80, warned she faces prosecution for feeding birds in her garden

An 80-year-old, June Coton, has been threatened with prosecution by her local council in Coventry unless she cuts back on feeding the birds in her garden.

Mrs Coton, who has been putting food out for the bluetits, starlings and sparrows in her garden for 20 years, was warned that she could face legal action from her local council if she does not desist from feeding the "feral" birds.

Officials said that a neighbour had complained that her "overfeeding" had led to large groups of birds congregating on the street creating "environmental" problems and damaging property.



Coventry City Council said it was considering serving an abatement notice - similar to orders given to neighbours who play loud music late at night - to curtail her bird feeding. If she fails to comply she could be prosecuted.

Mrs Coton, a great-grandmother, who lives in Coventry, received the letter last week after returning home from a spell in hospital. She insisted she has only one bird table, one bird bath and three small bird feeders filled with nuts and balls of seed in her small back garden.

"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," she said. 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."