Litter-picker fined £150 for feeding potatoes to pigeons in Piccadilly Gardens

A litter-picker has been fined £150 after she was spotted feeding potatoes to pigeons in Piccadilly Gardens.

Two enforcement officers caught Ruth Bradshaw, who volunteers as part of an environmental cleaning group in Gatley, removing the carbs from her salad and offering them to the local birds in the area.

The pair promptly demanded Ms. Bradshaw’s details and issued her with a ticket – which came with a whopping £150 penalty attached.

Ms. Bradshaw, who describes herself as “lover of wildlife a member of the Green Party”, is yet to pay the fine.

She has since contacted council leader Sir Richard Leese and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham to protest her innocence.

Manchester City Council considers the act of feeding pigeons to be littering, with signs in the city centre urging people to avoid the practise.

Several members of the public have been hit with Fixed Penalty Notices in the past for passing on their scraps to animals in Piccadilly Gardens.

During the summer, one woman was issued with a £120 fine for giving the birds some of her Greggs sausage roll.

Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar has said that “it’s extremely important that people understand that they should not be feeding the birds in this way.”

Speaking in August, the councillor added: “Illegally dropping food for the pigeons is bad for the local environment and can also be harmful to the birds, as many items intended for human consumption are not suitable for them to eat.”