What began as a birthday outing in Manchester ended in disbelief for 23-year-old Sam Ekins from Huddersfield.
Sam and her partner had been sitting outside a McDonald’s in Piccadilly Gardens on March 9, enjoying a wrap when a pigeon approached their table.
Without thinking much of it, Sam tore off a small piece of tortilla and dropped it on the ground for the bird.
Within moments, however, the gesture turned costly.
An enforcement officer approached the couple and issued Sam with a £150 fixed penalty notice for littering.
“The food was already gone”
Sam says the piece of food had already been eaten by pigeons before the officer even reached them.
“The food was literally gone before he’d even approached 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 felt intimidating, particularly because her partner is a wheelchair user and the officer was physically imposing.
“It was quite scary. I’m quite short, the officer was over six foot, and my partner’s in a wheelchair. I felt very vulnerable in that moment,” Ekins was quoted as saying by BBC News.
“I thought it was just a warning”
Sam insists she had no idea feeding a bird could count as an offence. Growing up in Southport, she said feeding birds had always seemed harmless.
“I didn’t think twice about it. I’ve always fed birds before,” she said. She also claims she believed the officer was issuing only a warning when he asked for her identification.
“As soon as he took my details, that was it. Suddenly it was a £150 fine.”
Living on a shoestring budget
The penalty has hit the couple particularly hard.
Sam says they recently moved to Huddersfield and are currently living on a tight budget while furnishing their new home. Her partner, who is disabled, cannot work and relies on benefits.
“We’re basically living on one income right now,” she said. “To be hit with a fine like that for feeding a bird feels unbelievable.”
The pair have since launched a GoFundMe page to help cover the fine while they challenge the notice.
Fear of returning to Manchester
The experience has also left Sam feeling anxious about visiting the city again.
“I’m scared to go out in Manchester now,” she was quoted as saying by Manchester Evening News. “I feel like I might break a law I’ve never even heard of.
Council’s response
Manchester City Council maintains that dropping food on the ground—whether for birds or otherwise—counts as littering.
A spokesperson said enforcement officers may issue a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) if they witness such an offence.
The council also stated that food litter can attract vermin and damage public spaces.
However, officials confirmed that Sam’s case is currently on hold while her circumstances are reviewed.
“Residents and visitors have a shared responsibility to help keep Manchester clean and green,” the spokesperson said.
The incident has sparked wider debate online about strict enforcement of littering rules and whether common acts like feeding birds should attract steep penalties.
