THE RSPCA has stepped in after shoppers complained about pigeons caught behind replacement netting on a railway bridge.

People passing under the c2c railway bridge in Southend High Street feared replacement netting installed to stop nesting birds had trapped several pigeons.

The new netting had plastic escape funnels laced with a range of snacks including bagels to tempt the birds out.

However, shoppers criticised the new netting, suggesting the birds were trapped.

A council spokesman confirmed an RSPCA officer was called out with humane traps which were set to catch the birds so they could be removed as soon as possible.

The new netting will not be removed.

Speaking before the RSPCA was called out, Dipti Patel, Southend Council’s head of public protection, said: “New pest-proof netting was installed under the railway bridge earlier in the week, as the old netting was coming away and allowing pigeons to nest under the bridge.

“It is clearly unacceptable to have pigeons nesting in this prominent area of the town centre.

“The birds are a nuisance to shoppers and businesses as their droppings cause a great mess on this busy part of the High Street, and this requires a lot of work to keep clean.”

Shopper Stewart Roberts, of Homestead Road, Hadleigh, spotted the netted pigeons on a shopping trip and was worried about their wellbeing.

He said: “I’ve seen the birds trapped in the net.

“They have young in there and the mother birds can’t get to them. It’s horrible.

“For a town centre to have something like this is not on.

“I know people regard them as pests, but they can’t be treated like this.”