Barnstaple industrial estate 'under siege' by seagulls

BUSINESSES on a Barnstaple industrial estate say they have been under siege by seagulls for too long and have had enough of the feathered pests.

People working on Pottington Industrial Estate are regularly dive-bombed while buildings and cars have been damaged by layers of bird poo.

Business owners say the estate is constantly strewn with rubbish after seagulls attack bins and employees have to put up with the birds’ constant squawking.

Some firms already pay hundreds of pounds a week for measures to prevent the birds from nesting on their buildings.

But at a meeting on Monday night at the Barnstaple Hotel nearly 40 business owners and representatives met to discuss how they can rid the estate of the birds for good.

The meeting was set up by Chris Bonner, a landlord on the estate.

He said: “We need to set up a business group, like we used to have, and team together to get rid of the birds.”

Business owners and representatives discussed culling the seagulls.

But North Devon Council regulatory services manager Andrew Millie said it was unlikely business owners would get a licence to cull the birds.

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Doing bird! Escaped emu is bundled into police car after causing chaos during rush-hour

A four-foot emu was caught running through a town and trying to get into people's homes during rush-hour today.

Devon and Cornwall Police were called to Barnstaple in north Devon after the flightless bird, Betty, was spotted roaming the streets near Pilton Park.

Acting Sergeant Zoe Parnell and PCSO Stephen Huxtable stopped the 'panicked' emu at around 8am and managed to get it into a police car with only a few ruffled feathers.

A police spokesman said: 'Although the bird was in a state of panic they managed to coax it into the rear of the police car and call the owner.'

PC Parnell said she had had 'the most surreal day ever' and had 'thought it was a bit of a wind-up' when she got the call.

She said: 'I received call saying a 4ft ostrich was on the loose. But when I arrived at the scene to check it out, I could see this bird running up and down the street. It was trying to get into people’s houses.

'Obviously it was finding that difficult, and would try the next one.

'All the residents were trying take pictures, he seemed quite happy.

'I must admit that while I’m not normally scared of birds, I was a bit nervous with this one.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239712/Escaped-emu-goes-run-Devon-tries-break-houses-stopped-police.html#ixzz2DcrnmPhk

Council ban tie-wearing duck from collecting for charity in permit row

The popular bird, named Star, regularly dons a red dickie bow and waddles alongside his owner Barrie Hayman to raise money for sick youngsters.

Together Barrie and Star collect on average £200 a day by visiting businesses around Devon and have already raised £6,500 for a local children's hospice.

However the duo's fundraising days could be numbered after being told they must apply 28 days in advance for a single day's permit- restricting them to collecting just one day a month.

'If I was putting into my own pocket, I could understand it, but everything goes to the sick children,' explained the Bideford resident.

'If a permit covered me for a year and I was able to visit a different town each day, that would be fine, but on this basis I don't think I can carry on.'

Council officials told Mr Hayman that members of the public could find his feathered sidekick 'irritating'.

Local businesses have slammed the decision and are calling for Star to be allowed to collect money as often as possible.

'He entertains so many people. They crowd around him, and he does an amazing job,' Sally Shephard, of Blazeys Deli in Bideford, said.

'We all feel very upset because it's such an amazing charity. Everyone's in uproar.'

A North Devon District Council spokesman added: 'All he's got to do is apply for a street collection permit, which is a fairly simple process.

'Our policy is to allow one charity collection per day per parish, so that the streets aren't full of people collecting for charity, which is irritating to the public.'

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/911993-council-ban-tie-wearing-duck-from-collecting-for-charity-in-permit-row#ixzz26v4IzUyg