THEY say you should never work with children or animals, but one food producer in North Yorkshire is proving that a little dog can be the ideal delivery companion.

Coco the dachshund is part of the Keeble family from Bedale, who run the ever-growing Heck sausage and burger company, and loves to hop into the delivery motorbike’s sidecar with owner Jamie Keeble.

Perhaps Coco enjoys the irony of a sausage dog delivering bangers to local butchers and food suppliers in time for Bonfire Night and Christmas, or maybe it is the thrill of the ride in a motorbike.

Whatever the attraction, Mr Keeble said Coco enjoys a ride more than going for a walk.

Unfortunately a very different animal, or rather bird, is causing nothing but consternation in Richmond at the moment.

The Georgian Theatre Royal, in Victoria Road in the town, has recently enjoyed a major overhaul thanks to a funding boost from a legacy and Heritage Lottery Fund, and in an attempt to attract more people through its doors has erected a black wrought iron sign above a walkway from the Market Place.

But several pigeons seem to also be enjoying the sign and the upgraded buildings leading down Friars Wynd – showing their appreciation by defecating all over the path.

Theatre staff and councillors are fed up of the mess which builds up as soon as it is cleared, the town council is to write to the district council to appeal for something to be done about the pests.

Hopefully the pigeons can be moved on to be antisocial elsewhere – but preferably not to one of the town’s other visitor attractions.