Even though it’s supposed to be summer and there should be plenty of good things for birds to eat, some people in South Derbyshire still like to feed the birds.

But if you want flying creatures to get your goodies, rather than those less attractive ones with rather long tails, you should invest in a bird table.

Says Jack Twomey, South Derbyshire’s Environmental Protection Manager, “We provide a free service to householders in South Derbyshire to get rid of rats and mice. In some cases, even though our staff had rid the property of vermin, the rats kept returning. We discovered that they just couldn’t keep away from the scraps and the seeds put out for birds.

“It’s worth considering when you want to feed our feathered friends that you can attract ones that we find less appealing. Make or buy a bird table to keep the food from the ground and then you won’t have to call out our pest control staff to rid you of the rodents.”