Wiggling Veg Destoyers

Last night saw me on the slug trail again... yes, I have joined the murderous ones. My first row of climbing French beans has been decimated by the slugs so it was time to act.
After dark, I put on my gardening clogs, took the torch and went to investigate.
It was revolting! I have never seen slugs hanging off the remains of leaves in such a desperate manner, they were literally dripping off.
There was nothing else to be done - they escape from the wheelie bin, so that tactic does not work. Stone age man mentality has to come into play. I scraped them off the stump of the plant, placed them carefully on my 'duckboard' (I am following the no digging plan - so no walking on the soil) then squashed them. Very queasy moment for both of us. I hope it was terminal for them, but they can join the food chain without any ill effects for the thrush that comes down to feed in the veg patch.
My next problem is what to do with the pigeons that are destroying the broccoli plants that Livvy brought for me.
How do these people on allotments get their rows of veg to survive this kind of onslaught. Never mind the WMD Tony Blair, what about the WVD?