On a chilly Sunday in mid-December, a pigeon found itself in a real pickle outside the Bell Foundry pub on Swan Street, Loughborough. The unsuspecting bird, perhaps lured by the promise of a stray chip or two, ended up wedged in an air vent grating, its leg trapped and its prospects looking grim. But what happened next became a testament to both the challenges and the compassion surrounding the humble urban pigeon.
According to BBC Leicester, a concerned passerby spotted the pigeon’s plight and quickly notified Linjoy Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue, a charity based in Burton-on-Trent. Without hesitation, the sanctuary dispatched a volunteer to the scene. On arrival, it was clear that the bird’s leg was firmly stuck, and the situation was more serious than a simple rescue. Recognizing the need for specialist help, the volunteer called in the local fire brigade.
Firefighters soon arrived, working carefully to free the distressed pigeon from its metal trap. The bird, battered but alive, was handed over to the sanctuary’s care. After being administered medication, the pigeon reportedly began to recover, though the ordeal had taken its toll. The sanctuary spokesperson shared that, due to the severity of the injury, the pigeon would need to have its leg amputated on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. Still, there was a silver lining: the bird was already “hopping along well,” showing remarkable resilience despite its impending surgery.
While this one pigeon’s story ended with a dose of hope, it’s just a snapshot of a much larger—and increasingly contentious—relationship between humans and pigeons in British towns and cities. Nowhere is this more evident than at Norwich Market, where stallholders have been locked in a battle with flocks of pigeons (and their seagull sidekicks) for years. The birds, emboldened by easy pickings and the occasional well-intentioned feeder, have become a daily nuisance for traders and customers alike.
As Newsquest reports, the market’s traders have long complained about pigeons swooping in to steal food, leaving droppings on goods, and generally making a mess of things. Dale Barker, who runs Mick’s Foam near the top of the market, described the situation bluntly: “The hawk helps when he’s around but once he leaves they just come back. The issue is people feeding pigeons. The council needs to make it a by-law to stop people feeding the pigeons and I’m not saying people who do feed are wrong but we get spoiled stock as a result.”
His sentiments are echoed by Alfie McComb, manager at Dotties, who’s noticed the pigeon population swelling: “I think fining people would be a good idea. The council could maybe introduce a ban on the market and fine people who feed the pigeons within this area. They could also try diverting bird traffic to Chapelfield Gardens with feeders or bird nests. But having the hawk here is not a long-term solution.”
The hawk in question—Travis, a bird of prey employed by Norwich City Council—was introduced earlier in December as part of a four-week, £4,000 trial. Falconer Adrian Diamond and Travis were tasked with patrolling the market and City Hall area, sending a clear message to the pigeons: not today. But as traders quickly observed, the feathered troublemakers simply scatter when Travis is around, only to return the moment he’s gone.
Paula Taylor, who runs Cheeseman, has witnessed the persistence of both pigeons and their human supporters: “I’ve seen people come in the morning with bags of food to feed the pigeons. We’re not anti-bird but the people who feed them do not see the impact they have on the market. I’m not sure if fining people will work because there will always be people who feed them but something needs to be done.”
Gail Rushmer, from Lucy’s Chips Mushy Pea Stall, didn’t mince words: “They are literally a pest. They fly into the stalls, they steal food. There was one on the fan in here once. They carry disease. We say to people do not feed the pigeons but they do not listen.”
Yet, not everyone is entirely fed up with the birds. Zi Bloom, 22, recounted a recent encounter with a pigeon: “I felt its claws in my scalp. I didn’t mind so much that it was a pigeon, if it had been a seagull, that would have been worse. I’m generally indifferent to the pigeons being here.” Her friend, Majeda Bano-Few, 21, added, “The market would be a bit weird without the pigeons.” Even Tessa, a first-time visitor from Suffolk, noted the need for caution: “You need to be really careful where you sit and there are cases of bird flu and then you have all these pigeons around people eating food.”
The council, for its part, seems to be weighing its options. Carli Harper, Labour cabinet member for finance and major projects, told the BBC that the council is “looking at enforcement options as a way to stop these selfish few who do not see to reason.” Signs already dot the market, warning against feeding the birds, but compliance remains spotty at best. The prospect of fines or even a by-law banning pigeon feeding is now firmly on the table, as traders grow increasingly frustrated by the lack of a permanent solution.
Some traders, like Alfie McComb, have floated creative alternatives—such as redirecting birds to nearby Chapelfield Gardens using feeders or bird nests—but consensus remains elusive. Meanwhile, the hawk’s temporary presence, while dramatic, is widely seen as a stopgap measure rather than a cure-all. As one trader put it, “having the hawk here is not a long-term solution.”
Behind the scenes, the debate touches on deeper questions about how cities should coexist with their animal inhabitants. Pigeons, after all, have long been part of the urban landscape, their adaptability and resourcefulness both admired and resented. For every stallholder cursing a soiled stockpile, there’s a local who finds a certain charm in the birds’ daily routines.
Still, as the story of the rescued Loughborough pigeon shows, individual acts of kindness persist even amid broader conflicts. The bird’s imminent amputation and recovery speak to the resilience of wildlife—and the willingness of people to intervene, even when the subject is a creature as divisive as the common pigeon.
With council discussions ongoing and the hawk’s trial drawing to a close, the future of Norwich Market’s pigeon problem remains uncertain. But one thing’s for sure: whether viewed as pests or part of the scenery, pigeons aren’t leaving the city anytime soon. And as long as there are scraps to be found—and the occasional compassionate bystander—these birds will continue to ruffle feathers across the UK’s urban centers.
