Town forced to keep its Christmas tree up for six months because of a pigeon

For one market town the festive season has stretched on for half the year after being forced to leave its Christmas tree standing until the summer.

Beverley Town Council were due to remove the season decoration in January, like the rest of the nature, but discovered that would have to leave it up because a wood pigeon was nesting inside it. Pictures show the tree in East Yorkshire has turned dark brown in colour.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is illegal to take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while that nest is in use or being built. This means that the tree will have to stay up in the market town until the pigeon decides to leave.

Councillor Denis Healy, 63, said that the council 'don't want to remove the bird' and will wait for the pigeon to leave. He explained: "The council came to move it earlier in the year and the guys who found it said they shouldn't be moving it, so they didn't.

""We had lights on the tree and they are still on it because we were advised moving them might disturb the bird. But the lights aren't switched on. Quite a few people were wondering why there was a tree still there and why it had been left.

"People were writing it so we had to put notices on to tell people. As a green council, we care about biodiversity, nature and green issues, we wouldn't want to remove the bird.

"But even if we did, it would be illegal." Wildlife experts have told the council that the pigeon should move from its nest next month as that's when breeding season ends.