A PIGEON cull at a pub has ended and alternative methods are being used to control the birds.

Animal-lovers protested when the Bull and Crown pub in Kings Road, Chingford, employed the services of a pest control company after a pigeon infestation began causing problems.

The programme of eradication involved shooting male birds early in the morning to bring the population down.

But the technique stirred up opposition and animal welfare groups criticised the method as ineffective.

A spokeswoman for Picas, an international company advising on non-lethal bird control, said: "Killing adult pigeons in a feeding flock favours the younger birds that would otherwise have a poorer chance of survival. There are always alternatives to using lethal methods."

Now the pub has opted for a different approach.

Stephen Johnson, managing director of M and R Shine, the company in charge of the programme, said: "There are differences of opinion on how to get rid of these birds.

"After discussions with the owners, they have decided to trap the birds instead and release them 20 miles away, at a greater cost to themselves. They have taken the decision to ensure the problem is controlled."

Siobhan O'Rourke, a spokeswoman for the pub, said: "We became aware there were different methods to deal with the problem so we thought we would give one a try, and it really seems to be working.

"We have taken over the pub recently and we did not want to start on the back foot. We are happy with the way things are working and we hope anyone who objected to the previous method will be pleased we've made the change."