SEAGULLS in Fleetwood are tough – but they are no match for Eddie the Eagle, a special machine brought in to scare the boisterous birds away from Freeport Outlet Village.
Eddie can imitate the hunting calls of five different birds, including eagles, buzzards and hawks, enough to make even the cockiest seagull think twice about stealing someone’s chips.
David Whitfield, manager of the popular shopping centre, said: “We wanted a friendly solution to the seagull problem and trial runs have convinced us that Eddie the Eagle is the perfect answer.
“We know the seagulls are part of Fleetwood’s rich history and we don’t want to move them away from the port. We feel our machine is the perfect solution.
“Freeport shoppers can now browse and shop in a relaxed, stress-free environment.”
Since Eddie – manufactured by a Worcester company called PestOff – was introduced, the number of hooligan seabirds bothering Freeport shoppers has dropped by about three-quarters.
Site accountant Jim Jolley said: “The seagulls were here before we were, but they do tend to make a mess and they are that used to people now that they swoop down on them.”
He added: “You can hear the new machine from at least 50 yards away. It only comes on during the day and has a random pattern of calls at different times, so the seagulls don’t get used to one call and come back.”
Bosses at Freeport have tried several different ways to cope with the problem, and at one stage even hired a falconer to bring a hunting bird.
Jim said: “That worked very well, but it would mean having somebody like that on site permanently, so I think this is a better solution.”