An environmental activist in Loughborough, Leicestershire says he is shocked that a local church is backing a pigeon cull.

The Charnwood Borough Council has shot about 90 of the birds in past few weeks - a move backed by a local priest.

Environmentalist Roy Campsell says the church is wrong to support the cull: "I am very angry that the cull still goes on in this day and age.

Trained marksmen

"I am surprised that the church is condoning the killing, as all creatures are God's creatures," he said.

But a spokesman for St Mary's Roman Catholic Church said too many pigeons were roosting on the church and causing a mess.

There is public concern over the cull, but we have a lot of people who request us to do it Keith Taylor Environmental Health

"The ground level is covered with mess and you can get it on clothes and shoes," the church's Father Philip Scanlon said.

"I don't like killing birds, but there are higher priorities."

Keith Taylor from the council's environmental health department says it is vital the number of birds is kept to a manageable level.

"We have two pest control officers who are trained marksmen and on two or three times we shoot the pigeons," he said.

"There is public concern over the cull, but we have a lot of people who request us to do it."

Lofts expensive

Mr Campsell said: "Pigeons are governed by the food supply.

"The more food people leave out, the more pigeons there are going to be.

"We should set up areas around city centres with pigeon lofts or dovecotes and the eggs can be taken away every day - this will control the pigeons naturally."

But the council said lofts would be too expensive and the problem is being controlled effectively by the cull.