A pigeon-loving pensioner has been slapped with a £150 fine for feeding the birds – but the move has split a community.

Colin Vincent feeds pigeons in Sheerness town centre on the Isle of Sheppey up to three times a day with his own concoction of bread sticks and bird seed and has now paid a heavy price for looking after his mealtime mates.

The 73-year-old’s feathered friends’ feast has angered many shopkeepers who are left to clean up the mess. Retailers say the town’s pavements and shop windows are covered in pigeon poo because of people like him.

The battle of the birds has divided opinion on whether they should be encouraged or deterred from the high street. Feeding them is officially banned.

"People say pigeons are flying rats. But they aren't," said Mr Vincent, defiantly.

"When they see me, people clap their hands and shoo the pigeons away. They just accept what they are told. Shopkeepers even put spikes on their properties so the pigeons can't land."

His main opponent is Patricia Kowalczyk who runs the Good Look hair salon which is next to what is fast becoming a paradise for pigeons.

"I'm fuming," she said. "Look at the mess they are creating. I have to clean my windows and the pavement in front of my shop every day. I'm not a mean person but this isn't right.

"They are like flying rats. They are vermin. He comes here, feeds them and then leaves. This should be illegal. I don't hate animals but I don't like the disease and mess they leave outside my shop."

Mr Vincent admitted he been given a £150 fixed penalty by an enforcement officer but says it has since been withdrawn. "I've had a letter cancelling it," he explained. "Apparently, there wasn't a sign saying 'Do not feed the birds'."

His actions have certainly put the cat among the pigeons.

But he is not alone. Retired Sheppey stuntman William Wallace, 74, admits to feeding them from one of the public benches.

He said: "It used to be a tradition for grandparents to take their grandchildren to feed the pigeons or ducks. The Sheerness pigeons are really tame. They will sit on the bench beside you and eat out of your hand."

A spokesman for Swale council confirmed Mr Vincent had been issued with a fixed penalty notice but admitted it had since been cancelled because of a "technical error". She denied it was because of a lack of a warning sign.

She said: “We’ve received complaints from local shop owners in Sheerness about people feeding the pigeons around where the clock tower was.

“The pigeons are making a mess of the street and shop buildings and can attract rats and other vermin that cause a bigger problem."

She added: “Our enforcement officers can issue a £150 fixed penalty notice to anybody feeding the pigeons in Sheerness town centre.”

Feral pigeons are among the few wild birds which can be killed by authorised operators according to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which is overseen by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

They are categorised as a "pest species" and are well known for rummaging through litter bins and spilling waste onto streets. Because of their scavenging nature they are often referred to as "flying rats" especially by those operating food and drink businesses.

They can also damage buildings. Pigeon droppings also pose a huge public health risk and can be potentially life-threatening.

The best way to control them is to reduce their food sources. Hawks have also been used to frighten them off.

There are estimated to be 18 million feral and wood pigeons in the UK.