WOMAN JAILED FOR FEEDING THE BIRDS GETS pounds 40,000 BILL

DEFIANT animal lover Barbara Simpson, jailed for feeding the birds in her garden, has been sent a pounds 40,000 legal bill by her local council. But to console herself she has started feeding the birds again.

Barbara was sentenced to three months in Holloway prison because a judge felt her "obsessive habit" was ruining the lives of her neighbours.

She was released after six weeks for good behaviour, but just days after returning to her bungalow in Preston, near Weymouth, Dorset, the huge bill dropped through her letterbox.

"I just couldn't believe it," sobbed Barbara. "As if they hadn't done enough locking me up. Now they seem to want to destroy me altogether.

"There's no way I can afford to pay, I just don't have that sort of money."

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council believe they are entirely justified in seeking to recover their legal costs.

Chief Executive Murray Ashby said in an official statement: "The costs amount to approximately pounds 40,000.

"An application has been made to the Court that these costs be recovered and we are awaiting a response from Mrs Simpson."

Barbara's problems began seven years ago when neighbours claimed they were being driven to despair as hundreds of birds descended on their homes. More than a ton of rotting nuts, cheese and meat piled up in the Simpsons' garden.

The local council took her to court, but she defied 20 orders to halt the feeding frenzy, spending pounds 150 a week on bird seed.

Finally Judge Roger Titheridge QC jailed her for three months, telling the court: "Mrs Simpson brought this on herself."

But Barbara, 60, still maintains she did nothing wrong.

"I can't understand why they caged me like a criminal just for feeding my birds. I don't mean any trouble to anyone." While she was in prison the council and neighbours chopped down many of the trees and bushes in her garden where the birds lived.

In spite of the risk of further court action, determined Barbara refuses to stop feeding her feathered friends. She puts out handfuls of nuts and cheese on the 5ft by 4ft timber bird table which her husband made for her.

"I know I might end up in trouble again," she says, "but I just can't let the birds down."

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