A HAWK will be used to scare of pigeons which are blighting a Leyton estate.

L&Q housing association will be introducing the Harris Hawk to patrol the Beaumont Estate with a handler to get rid of nuisance pigeons.

A spokesman for L&Q housing association said: "We have been talking to residents on the Beaumont Estate and they have told us that the pigeons are causing a real problem. Installing netting or pigeon spikes is not always effective, and it can be very unsightly, so we have been consulting with residents about other options.

"We had similar problems at another L&Q development in Greenwich and found that bringing in a specially trained hawk worked wonders.

"The hawk breaks the habit of the pigeons frequenting an area, and at the end of the programme hawk kites are installed to maintain the deterrent.

"The hawks are very tame and fully insured for public handling, so the children on the estate can interact with the birds and watch what is going on.

"It's a slightly unusual solution, but the feedback from residents in Greenwich was very positive so we will look at trying it on the Beaumont Estate."

Local Liberal Democrat councillor Bob Sullivan welcomed the plans. He said he had had numerous complaints from residents about the roosting pigeons messing up their homes.

Cllr Sullivan said: “It is very unusual. Pigeons are a problem all over the place. They roost on the balconies of the flats causing a mess.

"Hopefully the hawk will be able to chase them off. A few people have complained to me about the pigeons. It has been an ongoing problem for years.

"They also roost on the bridge across the road. That is a classic place for pigeons. Putting netting up keeps them away for a while but not for long.

“If they get a hawk it shows that they are looking into the problem. It is something that has to be looked at. It will be interesting to see how it works.”