GETTY Homeless people in Exeter are eating pigeons

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PCSO Sarah Giles, who polices the Sidwell St Market area, said it appeared to be “a particular group of street attached drinkers” and said they eat the birds so they can spend their benefits on booze. She accused them of “blatant pigeon eating”. She said: ‘They have money to spend on booze, so they have the money to buy food. “Many are alcoholics, and to keep a certain consumption level, will drink continuously. They are not filling a pub, because it is a different sort of drinking.

GOOGLE The incident happened in Exeter city centre

Blatant pigeon eating PCSO Sarah Giles

“It turns into a group, then a bigger group, and now we’re eating pigeons, now we’re killing seagulls. It escalates.” One trader, who asked not to be named, said the incident was “terrifying”. She saw two men coaxing pigeons with bird seed before stuffing them into a rucksack.” She said: “They managed to get 14 in, even with them flapping about. It was the space of around 20 minutes.”

PCSO Giles added that there had been reports of geese and swans also being captured, and a horrific incident where several children witnessed a woman stomping on the head of a seagull. She added: “We need to get community cohesion going – we don’t have the option to police it every day and a traders group would be beneficial.” A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police said: “This is being investigated as causing unnecessary suffering under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

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