NO PIGEONS will be culled as part of work underneath a railway bridge in Dunbar.

More than 1,000 people signed a petition against a potential cull on Spott Road.

And East Lothian Council has now confirmed that no cull will take place.

The council had revealed plans last month for work to be carried out, with netting to be put in place under the bridge.

However, the local authority came under pressure from a number of organisations, including the Animal Welfare Group.

This afternoon (Friday), the council confirmed that work would still go ahead but no pigeons would be culled during the process.

READ MORE: Petition launched in bid to stop pigeon cull

Ward councillor Norman Hampshire, who lives in the town, is the local authority’s spokesman for the environment.

He told the Courier: “Although the bridge is a Network Rail asset, East Lothian Council has had to act due to the significant public health and safety risks posed by the large number of feral pigeons and their droppings.

“In carrying out this work, no pigeons will be culled and I am grateful to external agencies, including NatureScot and Scottish SPCA, for taking the time to fully understand the scale of the problem and the proposed solution, which will be widely welcomed by people in Dunbar.”

Concerns were raised last year about issues involving pigeons roosting under the bridge.

Members of the public highlighted that the animals were fouling on the footpath below, which made it slippery and treacherous underfoot.

Fears had also been raised that there could be an accident due to the birds swooping out from under the bridge and startling drivers.

READ MORE: Pressure on council to abandon pigeon cull plans

At the town’s community council meeting last month, it was confirmed that work would get under way in mid-February.

Suggestions of a cull had been met with anger by the Animal Welfare Party and members of the public, with a bird control expert describing a potential cull as “a waste of time and money”.

Kay Hamilton, Dowager Duchess of Hamilton, is a member of AWP and said: “The birds certainly shouldn’t be killed.

“This is ridiculous and all out of proportion.

“Nor should the council be thinking of installing netting, as we know many birds can become trapped in netting and suffer horribly before dying.

“Alternative solutions have to be found.”

Members of the public got in touch with East Lothian Council offering to rehome the pigeons.

A spokeswoman for the local authority confirmed that the work was due to take place this week.

She said: “The work, which will be carried out during the day when the bulk of adult pigeons are away from the site, will see the removal of nests, and any young pigeons, or squabs, found will be re-located by an animal welfare charity.

“Netting to stop future roosting in the bridge will be installed and, in the unlikely event that any pigeons remain, one-way exits will be installed to ensure they can safely leave.

“A number of checks will be carried out over the following days to make sure no birds are caught following the works.”