Floriana local council has directed me to state the following with regard to the letter by Dick Bedoes and family (February 11).

Mr Bedoes and family seem to be surprised at the fact that the feeding of pigeons can be considered a crime and they also threatened "to publish this ridiculous story and tell everybody not to come to Malta" when they go "back home".

The council feels that this story will not leave much of an impact "back home" as it has been illegal to feed pigeons in the heart of the UK, in Trafalgar Square, London, since November 17, 2003, against a penalty of up to £50.

The council is therefore surprised that Mr Bedoes and family seem to be unaware of what is going on "back home" in this respect.

If the ban in feeding pigeons by the council is considered ridiculous by Mr Bedoes and family, the same goes for local authorities in London and a host of other cities worldwide which have also imposed the same ban.

Since Mr Bedoes and family deemed it fit to bring the shooting of birds into the equation, the council would like to make it clear that it does not agree with this practice.