Sprout growers are facing an increasing and unexpected threat to their livelihoods from hungry wood pigeons.
Harvests have been coming under attack from the birds, who have a taste for the leafy brassica.
Their appetite for Christmas sprouts has become so ravenous that growers calculate the annual cost to them could run into millions of pounds.
Nevertheless, Tesco has opted for an old-fashioned solution, which appears to be working.
The supermarket giant has brought in some seasonal scarecrows, dressed in Santa outfits, to help one of their largest British supplier of sprouts, TH Clements, in Lincolnshire.
Growers across the UK have had to buy netting to safeguard their crops, with some spending up to £50,000 on mesh to protect their sprouts.
However, since removing them for the Christmas harvest, when the bulk of the UK’s sprouts are ready to be picked for the festive season, the pigeons have swooped in.
Tesco sprout buyer, Lance Canavan, said: 'It’s December when the sprouts are most at risk, when the nets come off ready for picking.
'Growers have tried all manner of deterrents, from small gas bangers to kites in the shape of hawks, and flags that rustle in the wind. But after a while the birds get used to them and they become less effective.
'This week we went down with some Santa scarecrows to see if they could protect our customers’ Christmas sprouts and so far, so good.'
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