Diss, a market town in Norfolk, is struggling with an ongoing pigeon problem on its High Street, with the mayor calling on residents and businesses to help tackle the mess. Declan Craggs, mayor of Diss, said the town council has tried ultrasonic sound devices and a falconer's hawks to deter pigeons from Mere Street, but nothing has worked, leaving droppings and feathers covering the area. The issue matters because it highlights the difficulty councils face in balancing cleanliness concerns with animal welfare views, as some residents feel the birds are being unfairly blamed.

The council has asked businesses to fit spikes and other deterrents on ledges, and has put up signs urging people to stop feeding the pigeons, though the problem persists. Views among locals are divided: one visitor called for a cull, while others, including a shop worker and a long-time butcher, said they loved the birds or accepted the council was doing its best with limited resources. Norwich City Council has faced a similar issue at its market, where a hired falconer failed to disperse the birds and a proposal to use contraceptives has not been adopted; the authority says it continues to explore humane, long-term solutions.