DINERS are having their fresh air feasts at a Worcester restaurant ruined by pigeons.

Hodson's Coffee Shop and Restaurant has had to remove its pavement chairs and tables because so many customers are complaining about the droppings coming from pigeons perched on window ledges above

John Machin, co-proprietor of the High Street business - the first business in the city centre to be given permission to allow outside dining, in 1986 - said the birds had caused a huge hygiene problem.

"We've had to stop leaving tables and chairs outside because of the mess the pigeons are making," he said. "At times, there are so many of them and we've had complaints from our customers. It's extremely annoying.

"We're definitely losing business, especially like at the moment when the weather is good and people want to sit outside."

He said the problem began in the early part of summer when the offices above the restaurant became vacant.

"If windows are being opened and people are around, it stops pigeons. But without them being disturbed they congregate and that means mess," he added.

Mr Machin, who has run the business since 1975, believed people feeding the pigeons were to blame.

"There are people leaving food for them and this just adds to the problem."

He said he would be discussing the problem with letting agents Popple, Jones and Sawyer, who were acting for the landlord.

Martin Gillies, principle environmental health officer for the city council, said Worcester did not have a particularly high pigeon population, but said the public should not encourage them to congregate.

"They are vermin and should not be fed," he said.

However, he added that action could be taken to help Hodson's.

"Although I'm not aware of this particular case, it appears the pigeons could be causing a statutory nuisance and action could be taken against those responsible for the building."

A spokeswoman for the landlord, St Wulstan's Estates, said she was aware of the problem.

"The landlord and tenant are having discussions to try and resolve it," she said.