Smokers have been banned from using a village hall ashtray bin after it was taken over - by a family of nesting blue tits.<br /><br />The chicks hatched in the wall-mounted cigarette bin outside Astley and Dunley village hall, in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcs.<br /><br />Village hall co-ordinator Hazel Spicer discovered the birds when she spotted a pile of cigarette butts under the bin.<br /><br />She said: “I was opening up the village hall for a group activity when I looked over at the ashtray.<br /><br />“There was a very neat pile of cigarette butts piled up under it which I thought was strange.<br /><br />“I wondered over and heard a ‘cheep cheep’ sound and realised it was now home to some little birds.<br /><br />“The adults must have gone in and thrown out the butts one by one and then set up home. <br /><br />“I didn’t want anyone putting their cigarettes in the ashtray so we made a sign asking people to respect the birds. <br /><br />“It’s not the most ideal place for them to build a nest but it suits them pretty well.<br /><br />“We had blue tits use the bin a few years ago so I’m guessing they must be from the same family who come back each year.”<br /><br />A notice has now been attached to the bin, asking smokers to put out their ciggies elsewhere. <br /><br />The sign reads: “Could you please use buckets provided for cigarettes. Birds are nesting in cigarette boxes on wall, thanks.”
