Our town is being ruined by ‘vicious attacks’… we live in constant fear but no one’s doing anything about it
FURIOUS residents say their town is being ruined by “vicious attacks” and claim they live in constant fear.
Homeowners living in Bath – miles away from the sea – have complained about having to put up with nuisance birds who “draw blood”.
Locals have told Bath and North East Somerset Council that the seagulls flying over scare them and that their terrifying assaults are on the rise.
Debbie Andrews said she was recently attacked walking the streets with some food when she felt the bird land on her back.
She said: “I was attacked recently walking out of M&S with unopened food.
“As I was putting it in my bag I felt a heavy thud on my back.
“I only realised what it was when a wing hit me across my head and the bird actually bent over my shoulder to peck through the plastic and managed a bite out of the food.
“Two women checked I was OK as it was such a vicious attack.”
Debbie also said a gull attacked her friend as she walked through the park – so brutally it drew blood.
And an elderly man had bread snatched from his shopping trolley in the Lidl car park, she added.
Debbie has since pleaded with the council and asked why the “funding has been withdrawn” for the bird problem.
She said: “It’s infuriating to know that funding has been withdrawn from trying to solve this problem. I’d like to know why.
“When will funds be released to help solve a problem that is only going to get worse?”
Latest cuts from the council saw a £20k loss from the budget – which was used to tackle the birds and funded free advice for locals on how to deal with them.
Council bosses have previously warned their “hands are tied” as the birds are protected by Natural England.
However, Debbie said she wants the council to petition Natural England to allow any eggs or nests to be removed from the area.
It comes after a granddad was left with a bloody face after he was attacked by the vicious bird.
Kenny Esson, 78, was trying to lift one of the bird’s chicks out of his garden in Aberdeen when the squawking menace swooped.
And Blackpool Zoo even went to extreme lengths to get rid of their seagull problem.
Staff members began dressing up as huge eagles to stop the gulls interrupting visitors’ day out.