CONCERNED councillors are planning to educate generous Ackers Pit visitors after ‘enough food to feed the 5,000’ was left for ducks.

Peter Briggs, clerk of Stockton Heath Parish Council, said at this month’s meeting that it was believed that over-feeding of the ducks at the beauty spot – combined with the weed and sun – had caused a green blanket weed to form on the top of the water.

He added that a suggested solution to the problem was to put signs up saying ‘don’t feed the ducks’ or ‘please stop feeding the ducks it’s polluting the water’.

Clr Sonia Boggan (CON – Latchford without ward) said: “Every grandmother wants to take their grandchildren to feed the ducks where it’s safe.

“We have enough ‘we must not’, ‘do not’, ‘you can not’. That is one that we should not have.”

Clr Helen Dutton (LAB – Latchford without ward) added that she too was a culprit of going to the nature reserve with grandchildren and feeding bread to the ducks.

Information explaining the ecology with diagrams for residents, like those at country parks was suggested by Clr Robin Wilson (Green – Lumb Brook ward).

Liz Jewkes (IND – St Thomas’ ward), said visitors needed to be educated rather than just placing signs around the site, which falls between Ackers Road and Ackers Lane.

A spokesman for the RSPB said: “There is nothing wrong with feeding birds bread but if people give the birds too much it can make them bloated, like it would a human.”

She suggested that food with more of a nutritional content, such as cake would be better for birds, or seeds, but stressed that they are wild animals and should be fed in moderation to protect the environment, prevent unwanted food decaying and deter vermin.

The working party will now address the situation and decide how the public can be educated about the issue.