Dartmouth's Old Market pigeons are being given their marching orders.

The feathered visitors who spend their time roosting on ledges around the central market building are causing such a mess that the town council has decided it is time for them to move on.

The council has just spent £300 putting up netting around the eaves of the building to force pigeons to find somewhere else to bed down for the night.

Up to a dozen of the pesky birds like to call the market home as they forage for food among the visitors.

The town council has already been forced to put up anti pigeon wire along the top of the wooden beams in the Buttermarket to keep the birds at bay.

Town council clerk Chris Horan said: 'The pigeons are still roosting above the centre building in the market which we have been aware of for some time now.

'The problem is particularly at the rear where there is an electricity sub station.

'The pigeons leave a mess behind them and it is not nice.

'It has been an ongoing problem for some time and we are trying our best to do everything in our power to eliminate it.'