The shooting of pigeons to control numbers at The Shires Shopping Centre in Trowbridge has been condemned by a leading pigeon expert.

Adam Rogers, founder of the Feral Pigeon Project, was observing pigeons in Trowbridge when he discovered an injured pigeon in distress in the river with what appeared to be an airgun pellet wound in its wing.

The shopping centre has already tried netting and spiking to deter the birds and prevent them from dropping faeces but pest control was on the scene at the time Mr Rogers discovered the bird and admitted that lethal controls have been used in The Shires area for some time.

Mr Rogers said: "Councillor Paul Batchelor of Warminster made the courageous decision to base his town's pigeon control methods on non lethal methods which are proven to have a long-term effect.

"It is disappointing that Wiltshire's county town should resort to such ineffective, expensive and inhumane means."

According to the Pigeon Control Advisory Service lethal control can only be used if the target species presents a demonstrable risk to public health and safety and the property owner or pest control contractor must adhere to the criteria laid down by the relevant General Licences.