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Seagulls may face council cull
THEY hang around in big groups, make noise late into the night, create a mess in the street and have even been known to attack people.
No, this is not a description of a group of anti-social youths but rather one of Blackpool's flying menaces – seagulls.
The resort's herring and black backed gulls have come under fire for the dive-bombing tactics they have employed in recent months, including stalking a Blackpool hotelier and dive bombing a Cleveleys woman.
Attacked
Calls have been made for the birds to be culled, but with no statutory duty or powers to deal with the problem, council bosses hands are tied.
Without a licence from the Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) the birds cannot be killed.
As reported in last Friday's Gazette, Richard Layfield from the Gresham Hotel on Adelaide Street has been attacked every day for the last seven weeks after he returned a chick to its nest.
In the latest incident, he almost stepped out in front of a bus as he was distracted by the gull – which he has named Perky – which swooped down on him.
Richard, 26, said today: "I did think about applying to Defra for a licence to cull the bird because these are extreme circumstances, but its baby is hopping about now and hopefully soon they will both be gone."
Meanwhile, Cleveleys woman Shelly Flitcroft has taken to using an umbrella when she goes out into her back garden because of the aerial ambush.
Dave Rothwell, Blackpool's Public Protection Manager, said his team has been called out nine times so far this year to seagull related problems, usually associated with the bird's breeding season.
He said: "Seagulls are a tradition of seaside towns but due to a change in habits we are seeing more reports of people having been intimidated.
"They have moved in land and are nesting on roof tops by chimneys, finding food in bins and causing a noise nuisance.
"The vast majority are OK but occasionally they will go for someone as their way of protecting the young in their nest."
Staff from environmental services have the power to remove nests and eggs, and install spikes or netting to prevent the gulls from returning.
But the airborne attackers could face more serious sanctions as Blackpool Council's public protection team is currently in negotiations with Defra about what action can be taken against the gulls, which could include culling.
He said: "We have no statutory duty to deal with gulls, as we do with pests like insects or rats, but if the incidents of complaints continues to rise we will have to take advice from Defra on how to act in the future. That could include culling but there are no plans to do that in Blackpool at this time."
Jane Sellick, from the RSPB, said complaints of gull attacks were being made around the country and some councils were taking harsher action.
She said: "The birds carry out mock attacks in an attempt to protect their chicks.
"In the past councils have decided they are a sufficient nuisance and taken action, including gaining a licence to destroy the birds, but we would favour a non-lethal solution such as removing nests and reducing the amount of food available to them."
heather.butler@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
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Weather for Blackpool
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 27 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
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