From Niel Hansen

SIR. In addressing an issue such as reducing pigeon numbers it helps to know what you are talking about.

Graham McNally, Kingston's Town Centre Manager, demonstrably does not and, if he doesn't invest a little time in getting his facts straight, his efforts are going to be in vain.

It is pure fiction to suggest that the successful reduction in pigeon numbers on Trafalgar Square was carried out by "trapping and poisoning" or any other form of culling.

It wasn't and, whether you love pigeons or hate them, such a tactic simply isn't going to work.

Controlling feed supply is the only way to control numbers.

In Trafalgar Square, an agreement between the campaign group Save the Trafalgar Square Pigeons (STTSP) and the Mayor saw the amount of feed given to the pigeons reduced, gradually, ensuring a natural, humane and, crucially, sustainable reduction in bird numbers.

If Mr McNally or anyone else wants to see how it was really done, they should have a look at savethepigeons.org.

If the Mayor really had done what Mr McNally suggests, he would have wasted Londoners' money.

Kill the birds without reducing the available feed levels and the birds will simply breed faster and their numbers will be restored in months - that's a simple biological fact of life.

Look at the cause, Mr McNally, not the symptom.

Niel Hansen via email

From Charlotte Barrow

SIR. I believe it is inaccurate to say that pigeons cause a lot of damage, when all they do is walk, fly and look for food.

Ken Livingstone believes that they cause alot of so-called "mess".

But if he stopped to look at humanity itself, not just a few harmless pigeons, he would realise the damage we as humans have done to the planet is far greater than such small insignificant birds will ever do.

Charlotte Barrow via email

From Graham King

SIR. Someone, as a matter of urgency, needs to show Graham McNally, the Town Centre Manager of Kingston, a copy of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

He will find that it is a criminal offence - indeed an imprisonable criminal offence - to take, kill or injure wild birds except under licence fromDefra.

Killing pigeons can be done only under certain circumstances and only under the terms and conditions of Defra's General Licence system.

That system only permits birds to be killed if there is no "satisfactory alternative".

Given that such alternatives have, according to your report, been supplied by both Animal Aid and the Pigeon Control Advisory Service, I would have thought that if Mr McNally persists with his chosen course of action, then he should be less worried about a few pigeons than he should about the summons that is likely to be "winging" its way to him in the post!

Graham King via email

From David West

SIR. The sooner the pigeon population of Kingston is drastically reduced the better, As for the letter from P. Mascell talking about sadness at the plan, have these idiotic people ever sat in the chrurchyard eating a sandwich and been showered in filthy droppings?

Yes, these creatures are vermin!!

David West, via email

From Violet Murray

SIR. I have noticed an ever increasing number of people sitting around Kingston eating sandwiches and burgers and dropping their litter on the floor.

May I suggest to Mr McNally that they all be gassed or shot.

Violet Murray Surbiton