PIGEONS that have lived in the upstairs of a cottage off Crediton High Street for the past nine or 10 years and “which were no bother to anyone” have been “evicted” according to a local resident.

The downstairs of the cottage had, until recently, been occupied by an elderly man.

The top floor window of the property was left open and the pigeons were free to gain access as the man was unable to use the top floor.

Until earlier this year the cottage had been lived in and has been empty since - apart from the squatter pigeons.

Windows at the property were recently boarded up.

A notice dated June 17 was placed on the house, in effect condemning it, saying that the premises must not be used for the purposes of living and/or sleeping and that it is a Category One hazard.

That Prohibition Order will become operative on July 18.  The notice is signed by Mrs Sam Barnett, Mid Devon District Council’s Private Sector Housing Specialist Officer.

People working in Adams Home Hardware store, to which the cottage is attached and some of those living in Stanbury Court flats, contacted the district council with their concerns about the pigeons to see if someone could let them out but, with no result, then they also contacted the RSPCA to see if something could be done that way.

One local resident believed that not all the pigeons were removed before the premises was boarded up.

He said that this was why many pigeons could be seen inside the downstairs windows, which had caused concern to neighbours.

He explained that some residents had forced entry to enable the pigeons to leave.

He added: “The pigeons were not a problem, now we have 43 homeless pigeons sitting on the roof.

“The council look at them as vermin but they have never been any trouble to us.

“We hardly knew they were there until last week when they lost their home.

“It is a shame really.”

Asked what might be going to happen with the property and whether anything was being done to help release any further pigeon squatters, Mrs Barnett said the district council was working with the private owner and it was not for her to say anything about it.  She certainly was not going to say who owns it.