Cannibalistic pigeons at a Farnborough hospital have been branded 'disgusting'.

The dead birds have been spotted at the Princess Royal University Hospital, on Farnborough Common.

A net preventing the winged beasts from flying near the hospital has inadvertently become their death chamber, witnesses claim.

Some of the feathered creatures, which gather round the tops of the buildings, are reportedly left to rot or are devoured while hanging in the net below.

It is unclear whether they become trapped in the net and die, or simply fall after dying of natural causes.

One hospital visitor, Joan Collins of Southend Road in Beckenham, said: "It's disgusting, it's absolutely horrible. It's not just their rotting bodies trapped in the net but their droppings as well.

"It's sickening watching them eat each other!"

"I think something should be done about it; someone should fish them out because they keep coming back."

The 74-year-old, who witnessed cannibalistic pigeons eating the body of a comrade, said: "It's not sanitary, not at a hospital. They shouldn't be anywhere near here."

Another visitor - who did not wish to be named - said: "I'm disgusted and dismayed; every time I visit this hospital I see the trapped pigeons in the netting.

"I have seen other visitors and staff members upset seeing the trapped birds."

"Many that have died are still hanging in nets. Maggots must have been dropping from them.

She added: "I heard last week a magpie was attacking a trapped bird and pecking at his head!"

The woman from Sevenoaks also claimed she had left complaints in the comment box at the hospital over the issue.

However, a spokesperson for the hospital said: "Bird droppings can pose a health risk, particularly among people with a lowered immune system, so mesh on the outside of the building has been in place for a number of years to prevent birds entering the courtyards and fouling on the ground and the hospital building.

"Birds roosting and fouling in the courtyards have been an issue since the hospital was built. We have strict control measures to protect our patients from exposure to infection.

"We are aware of a small number of cases where birds have become entangled in the mesh. The mesh has been coated in a substance designed to make it too slippery for birds to land on, which has reduced the number getting caught. We are currently working to free any birds that become trapped and we are taking steps to reduce the likelihood of them getting caught in future.

"There are plans to slant the mesh to reduce the likelihood of birds landing on them and consequently becoming trapped.

"No formal complaints have been received but a small number of people have made us aware of birds caught in the mesh. In these cases we have liaised with our contractors to free the birds."

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