Apology for duck feed jail threat

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A council has apologised after threatening elderly residents with eviction and even prison for feeding ducks outside their homes.

Letters were sent to tenants at a sheltered housing complex at Alderson Court in Bridlington following complaints about bird mess in the area.

They were told they were breaking their tenancy agreement by feeding the birds.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council said the letters were heavy handed and apologised for causing distress.

Ron Tyler, a spokesman for the residents, said: "This letter was absolutely disgusting.

A breach of some of these can lead to a prison sentence. If you lose your home as a result of anti-social behaviour, we do not have to re-house you Letter sent to residents

"One elderly lady was that upset when she read the letter that she couldn't stop crying, she was frightened she was going to lose her home.

"These people are retired. They enjoy feeding the ducks and now that bit of enjoyment is being taken away."

The letter from the council's housing department said feeding the birds was causing a nuisance to other residents.

It said: "We can also seek a number of legal remedies to prevent you from behaving in such a manner to exclude you from the locality.

"A breach of some of these can lead to a prison sentence. If you lose your home as a result of anti-social behaviour, we do not have to re-house you."

A statement from Sally Burns, the council's head of housing and public protection, said: "We do have a very unusual and specific problem in this area that has been brought to our attention by tenants who complain about the nuisance caused by excessive amounts of mess from birds on washing, cars and footpaths.

"To assist, we have asked the residents on more than one occasion to help us by not feeding them to the extent that is going on as this is just attracting more problems.

"We do fully accept the letter sent to tenants was too heavy handed and not appropriate in the circumstances.

"We are in the process of writing to all those who received the letter to apologise, and as head of service I am extremely sorry for any distress this caused."