VISITORS to Hereford's Castle Pool are being asked to break with years of tradition by not feeding bread to the ducks.

Signs appeared on railings near the pond warning people that bread not only stops ducks from foraging for their natural diet, but can cause damage to their internal organs - and even shorten a duck's life.

Would-be bread throwers were also told how bread can cause poor water quality by encouraging the growth of algae and suffocating other aquatic life which would make up part of a duck's diet.

The notices, put up by Herefordshire Council's Countryside and Leisure Development Service, certainly ruffled the feathers of one regular visitor.

Petal O'Hea said she was livid about the signs.

"I am very sad about this. I have been feeding those ducks since I was a little girl," said Mrs O'Hea, celebrating her 88th birthday this week.

"It is a pastime they have been used to for years - so why now?"

John Burnett, for Herefordshire Council, said the temporary signs about feeding the ducks had been stolen, adding the council would be putting up more permanent notices.