Many Geordies will know that it's best not to linger when passing underneath the Tyne Bridge at this time of year.
That's because there's a risk of being pooed on by hundreds of sea birds nesting on the outside of the iconic bridge. The birds, called kittiwakes, make the Tyne Bridge their home every year during their breeding season, however, their droppings create a disgusting mess on the Quayside below.
Anyone who has been in the area recently will not only have had to brace themselves for quite the stench, but will also have noticed that the pavements and roads underneath the bridge are coated white by the bird muck. But now the streets below have been vastly improved after Newcastle City Council teams have been hard at work cleaning up the area - although, the Tyne Bridge itself remains in a filthy state.
The council said its teams "regularly clean up the mess during this time" and have now confirmed that they are "looking at measures" to tackle the annual problem of bird droppings on the Quayside. It comes as part of the council's plan to carry out a £41m refurbishment to restore the Tyne Bridge to its former glory and improve the Central Motorway after funding was approved by the Government in June.
A Newcastle City Council spokesman said: “It is the time of year when the kittiwakes, a protected species and an important part of our local wildlife, are present on the Tyne for the breeding season. The kittiwakes nest on the outside of the Tyne Bridge structure during the breeding season – which is an annual occurrence – and our teams regularly clean up the mess during this time.
"However, there are issues with other birds, mainly pigeons, which get into the towers and the walkways throughout the year, resulting in damage to the steelwork and mess beneath the bridge. As part of the longer-term maintenance of the Tyne Bridge, we are looking at what measures we can put in place to address those issues while also protecting the kittiwake colony when it returns to the Tyne each year."
Earlier this year, the volunteer conservation group 'Kittiwakes upon the Tyne' raised concerns about the disruption that the Tyne Bridge's refurbishment would have on the nesting birds. The group called for a new artificial nesting site to be built to house kittiwakes that become displaced by the restoration work.
Newcastle City Council has confirmed that they have spoken with its ecology officers and local wildlife organisations to "agree bird management measures" during the work but stressed that plans have not been finalised.
“Discussions regarding appropriate measures have already taken place with our ecology officers and local wildlife organisations, including representatives from the Kittiwake Partnership, RSPB and the Wildlife Trust," a council spokesman said.
"The plans haven’t been finalised and we will continue to work with these groups as we move forward to agree bird management measures and plans for ongoing monitoring and maintenance."
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