Hundreds of pigeons are to be culled in Kingston town centre in a three-year bird control programme run by the town centre management.

Flocks of pigeons have taken over the War Memorial gardens and the All Saints' Parish Church churchyard due to the blocking of their existing nesting sites by local businesses.

They will be trapped and gassed on a number of occasions over three years, a move which has been criticised by the RSPCA.

Jo Barr, press officer for the RSPCA said: "Culling is a very short-term solution and doesn't really address the issue. There are a lot of other ways pigeons can be discouraged, and in particular it's important to look at what attracted them to the area in the first place. The first option must be to seek alternative means of preventing damage, and only if these are in- appropriate to consider control methods which must be humane as well as specific to the species."

The programme, which will be carried out by a private pest control contractor, is due to start this month.

Graham McNally, town centre manager, said: "The pigeon population in the town centre needs to be managed by us because the local authority stopped doing it a few years ago. Just like the Mayor of London did in Trafalgar Square, we will be running a programme to gently bring down the population in Kingston, which will involve trapping them and humanely disposing of them."

Market trader John Kent said: "The problem's about the same as ever I think. While we're talking there must be 40 or 50 on the roof in front of me. They have just come down. People keep feeding them. I think one woman was told not to do it anymore.

"They really are vermin aren't they? They mess everywhere and that's why all these businesses have spikes up"

Every year pigeons can cause millions of pounds worth of damage, such as destroying insulation in buildings, defacing surfaces and blocking pipes and gutters with droppings. They can also carry up to 60 diseases, which can pose a risk to public health.

The international Pigeon Control Advisory Service suggests anti-perching devices, anti-roosting spikes, birds of prey and even a contraceptive pill as ways of controlling the pigeon population.

Campaign group Animal Aid also maintains that lethal culling of pigeons has no long-term effect on population, claiming that pigeons control their own numbers according the abundance of food.

q Should Kingston First be culling pigeons? Call the newsdesk on 020 8330 9553 or email hblades @london.newsquest.co.uk.