TRADERS in Royston High Street have become increasingly irritated by a mystery noise. But what they thought was the sound of a parrot or a peacock has turned out to be a pigeon scarer which is activated everytime a bird gets too near. The device was insta

TRADERS in Royston High Street have become increasingly irritated by a mystery noise.

But what they thought was the sound of a parrot or a peacock has turned out to be a pigeon scarer which is activated everytime a bird gets too near.

The device was installed on the roof of Mark Hughes and Associates.

Employee Adam Stokes said: "Pigeons have always been a problem in the High Street so we installed the device to prevent further damage to our roof caused by the pigeon's droppings"

The device sounds a bird-like noise, but it has consequently driven some traders "crazy".

A spokeswoman for Premier Travel, in the High Street, said: "The sound drives us crazy, it has gone off about every 10 minutes since the day it was switched on which seems like quite a while ago."

Other traders, however, were puzzled as to what the noise was at first.

Marilyn Ling, owner of Kisses, High Street, said: "When it first started we did wonder what it was and I was looking for a parrot but then I realised it was a recording.

"Now I don't take any notice. It's censored and only goes off if a bird flies near it."

Doug Drake, owner of the Toyshop, High Street, said: "I thought the noise was peacocks, but now I know it's a pigeon scarer. I'm surprised environmental health is allowing it to be there.

"The pigeons are a messy problem. Some of the pavements are covered in pigeon excrement, but we don't get our pavements cleaned that often so I'm happy not to see the pigeons."

He said the device has been effective because he has seen a number of pigeons take off.

"I am standing outside my shop now and I can't see any pigeons on the roofs," he said.

"I am, however, torn as to whether the device is a good thing because although I'm happy it's scaring away the pigeons, I'm sure people in officers are annoyed by the noise."

Town centre manager Geraint Burnell said: "I don't think the pigeons are a growing problem. They have just been a problem for some time.