Hero fends off seagull from attacking cat in Blackpool

The woman claimed the horror unfolded yesterday evening in Blackpool and if her son had not intervened the cat would have been seagull fodder.

Posting on independent animal welfare charity organisation Homeward Bound’s Facebook, she said: “Just a word if warning. Yesterday evening we all witnessed a seagull attempting to attack a full grown cat repeatedly.

“If my son hadn't chased the bird away it would have had the cat.”

Join our new WhatsApp Community to get the latest news and top stories from across Lancashire directly to your phone

However, some questioned whether a seagull would be able to lift the feline.

According to Google, “seagulls have webbed feet, they are not raptors. What they carry, they have to take in their beaks, so they are limited as to what they can carry in flight - about half their bodyweight for a short distance - their bodyweight being about a kilo for a herring gull and just under half, for a common gull.”

Sign up for our free newsletters now However, in 2019, it was reported that a chihuahua named Gizmo had been snatched from his garden in Devon leaving his owner heartbroken.

This is not the first time there have been reports of the coastal-dwelling birds becoming aggressive, with many tales of them swooping in and snatching people’s food.

Blackpool was named as the second biggest hotspot for seagull attacks in the UK, according to a new survey.

This latest survey coincides with a recent warning by Blackpool Council for residents to be vigilant and take extra care as we are now into the nesting season.

Gulls are particularly protective towards their chicks and if nests are on nearby roofs, the parent birds can sometimes swoop down to warn people off.