A visitor says the town looks "sad and ridiculous" as its mayor admits the number of signs needs to be reduced.

Signs in Dawlish. Pic: SWNS
Image: The signs were slammed for being oppressive Pic: SWNS

A town dubbed "oppressive" because of its forest of signs telling people what not to do is to review its signage.

An online reviewer after visiting Dawlish in Devon wrote: "Absolutely everywhere I looked there was a sign telling me to comply in one way or another."

The signs include instructions not to feed birds, chase birds, keep dogs on leads and one that says feeding mouldy bread to ducks will poison them.

The reviewer on Trip Advisor fumed: "There are literally dozens and dozens of them - everywhere.

One of the signs in Dawlish. Pic: SWNS
Image: A warning not to chase birds. Pic: SWNS

"Dawlish looks old, sad and ridiculous with so many notices. It feels oppressive for visitors.

"If you want visitors then try welcoming them! Forget the 'do not do this' and the 'do not do that' and start looking at the contradictions, confusion and general negativity it brings.

"I truly have never in my lifetime visited anywhere so bad in this respect."

Dawlish mayor Councillor Martin Wrigley said he took on board the criticism and admitted there were too many signs.

One of the signs in Dawlish. Pic: SWNS
Image: Another asks that nesting birds are not fed. Pic: SWNS

Mr Wrigley told Sky News: "There are simply too many signs and we do need to reduce them and make them more positive.

"I would not say it is the bossiest place. The signs are asking people not to do certain things.

"But there has been a proliferation of the signs in recent years. I hope we will be looking at both reducing the signs and writing them in positive terms.

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One of the signs in Dawlish. Pic: SWNS
Image: Dog owners get their orders. Pic: SWNS

"For example, encouraging visitors to use duck food that we supply outside our waterfowl enclosure, rather than saying don't feed bread to the birds. Our black swans are a great attraction and people do like to feed them."

Dawlish made the national news when storms destroyed the rail line in the town in 2014.

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