Farmers are flocking to buy a bird scarer which uses fire alarms and flashing lights to keep pigeons off oilseed rape crops.

More than 300 orders have been placed in less than a week after a video of the ear-splitting device was posted online by Lincolnshire farmer George Atkinson.

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The bird scarer was designed by local inventor and entrepreneur Chris Reet, who runs an electrical engineering business based at Folkingham Farms, near Sleaford.

Mr Atkinson said: “I was having a moan to Chris about our pigeon problem and asked if he could come up with something that flashed and made a loud noise.

“A few days later, he came into the yard and said ‘Put this gadget in one of your fields and see if it works’. So far, it has been fantastic.”

Watch the video and read the rest of the report below.

‘Tricks’

The scarer uses a electrical “box of tricks” connected to a 117-decibel fire alarm and 60-tone warbler – mounted under a flashing light similar to those found on emergency vehicles.

The flashing light deters the pigeons as they approach the field – and the noise scares away any birds brave enough to land.

“It is very effective – the pigeons have stopped coming,” said Mr Reet.

Weighing less than two kilogrammes, the bird scarer is much lighter than a traditional gas gun – and can be easily placed and moved where needed.

“I’ve had inquiries from all over the world,” says Mr Reet, who has started a Facebook page called South Lincs Bird Scarers. “We have had orders from as far away as France, Russia and Argentina.”

The basic unit costs £239. A fitted tracker device is available for a further £60 so the scarer can be traced if stolen.