Customers at an Asda supermarket have complained of finding animal excrement and bird feathers near fresh food after three sparrows set up home in the store – and then refused to leave.

The birds, which are a protected species, have been spotted flying around the supermarket in Crawley since December, but all efforts to remove them have so far proved unsuccessful.

Speaking to Crawley News, customer Ellen Bonner, 19, voiced her concern that the feathered fiends could be contaminating food.

She said: ‘I have seen them at least three times in the last month.

‘Because I’m a chef I know about food hygiene and seeing them fly over the food counters and open food, I am concerned about cross contamination.

‘I have seen feathers fall down on the food and I have seen the birds casually walk around on the shop floor.

‘Food can be contaminated with any diseases that the birds have that can then make the customer seriously ill.’