Rome seals off roads caked with droppings from birds that binged on olives

Heavy rain over the weekend washed bird droppings from trees that line the Tiber onto the streets, creating hazardous conditions

Authorities in Rome have been forced to close roads for cleaning after heavy weekend rainfall made streets and pavements covered in bird droppings too slippery and treacherous for pedestrians and traffic.

The downpour washed the guano deposited by millions of migratory starlings from trees onto the streets. The result, in combination with rotting leaves, was a slimy fungal mush so hazardous that it that reportedly led to car and motorcycle accidents.