MADGE GREEN, chairman of Farnham in Bloom, is calling on shops and businesses to do their bit to clean up pigeon mess.

Last week the Herald reported that pigeons or "feathered vandals" as Mrs Green referred to them, are increasing in number and leaving their mark in the form of guano all over Farnham's streets and yards.

The story attracted the interest of Meridian TV and a film crew met Mrs Green and fellow pigeon complainants in Castle Street on Tuesday.

The problem is many of the yards are privately owned and are not the responsibility of Farnham or Waverley councils but the companies that own them.

One of the worst affected yards is Hart Yard. Kay Pace, whose flowers have decorated the yard each summer for years, said: "I did clean up all this in the past when they (Farnham in Bloom) entered the In Bloom competition. People who visit me have to walk through all this filth.

"It's a lot worse than it used to be. I think in Woking they brought in hawks to scare off the pigeons but they ended up in Byfleet."

In previous years, Mrs Green and her team of In Bloom volunteers cleaned up the mess but they have not this year because they have not entered the competition.

Mrs Green said "We won the award for the cleanest town in the south east last year. I think (the pigeon mess) is increasing every year."

Farnham Maltings chief executive Gavin Stride has also experienced pigeon problems. "There's a couple of people who feed them down by the bridge and we've approached them indirectly. I wish people would feed them in their own gardens.

"I should think that it causes health problems and I've just had to spend £250 cleaning the gutters which is money that could have been better spent elsewhere.

But Lion and Lamb Yard manager Paul Whitcher thinks he has the solution.

The yard erected nets to combat the problem and they've been a big success. "They cover all the areas pigeons like to nest. We've got them on parapets and roof tops. We've also got bird spikes. It stops them landing."

Meanwhile, the Vienna restaurant has taken pigeons off its menu. Last week the West Street eatery was offering diners a special of plump pigeon breasts in red wine with blueberries.

A spokesman said the special dish could make a return to the menu and confirmed the birds are not sourced locally.