What started as a birthday outing in Manchester ended in shock for 23-year-old Sam Ekins from Huddersfield.Sam and her partner were sitting outside a McDonald’s restaurant in Piccadilly Gardens on March 9, enjoying a wrap when a pigeon approached their table. Without thinking much about it, Sam tore off a small piece of tortilla and dropped it on the ground for the bird.But within moments, the gesture became costly.An enforcement officer approached the couple and issued Sam with a £150 fixed fine notice for littering.
“The food is already gone”
Sam says the piece of food had already been eaten by the pigeons before the officer got to them.“The food was literally gone before it got anywhere near us,” she said.
“I pointed to the ground and told him there was nothing left.”The situation left her visibly shaken. Sam said the encounter seemed scary, especially since her partner uses a wheelchair and the officer was physically imposing.The BBC quoted Eakins as saying: “It was very scary. I am very short, the officer was over six feet tall, and my partner is in a wheelchair. I felt very vulnerable at that moment.”
“I thought it was just a warning”
Sam insists she had no idea that feeding a bird could be considered a crime. Growing up in Southport, feeding the birds always seemed harmless, she said.“I didn’t think twice about it. I had always fed the birds before,” she said. She also claims she believed the officer was only issuing a warning when he asked for her ID.“Once he had my details, it was over. Suddenly it was a £150 fine.”
Living on a limited budget
The punishment has hit the couple particularly hard.Sam says they have recently moved to Huddersfield and are currently living on a budget while furnishing their new home. Her disabled partner cannot work and depends on benefits.“We basically live on one income right now,” she said. “To get fined like this for feeding a bird is unbelievable.”The couple have since launched a GoFundMe page to help cover the fine while they challenge the notice.
Fear of returning to Manchester
The experience also left Sam feeling anxious about visiting the city again.“I’m afraid to go out to Manchester now,” she was quoted as saying by the Manchester Evening News. “I feel like I might be breaking a law I’ve never heard of before.
Council response
Manchester City Council confirms that dropping food on the ground – whether for birds or otherwise – is littering.A spokesman said law enforcement officers may issue a fixed penalty notice (FPN) if they witness such an offence.The council also stated that food waste can attract insects and cause damage to public spaces.However, officials confirmed that Sam’s case is currently on hold pending a review of its circumstances.The spokesman said: “Residents and visitors have a shared responsibility to help keep Manchester clean and green.”The incident sparked a wider online debate about strict enforcement of littering rules and whether common acts such as feeding birds should attract tough penalties.
