'Psycho' seagulls leave city residents terrorised as attacks leave them 'bloodied'
A generic image of seagulls fighting over chips
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"Psycho" seagulls have been terrorising residents in a British city.
One sandwich-snatching seagull even drew blood from its victim following an incident in Bath.
The large birds are so prominent in the Somerset city that some residents complain about being woken up at 3am.
Bath resident Gavin told The Daily Star: "It’s been impossible to escape sleep deprivation.
Early morning mist and low cloud cover the city of Bath
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"I had a sandwich snatched from my hand, drawing blood; I have been hit on the head by a gull while walking and I have witnessed a gull take ducklings from the canal."
Gavin is putting pressure on Bath & North Somerset councillors to raise the issue with Natural England.
He is claiming his health and wellbeing have suffered as a result of sleep deprivation, anxiety and being unable to concentrate when his windows are open.
Seagulls have been protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
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A seagull chick, with its parent, nesting on the roof of a pumping station
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However, Natural England has the power to grant licences to control the pesky birds by removing their nests or eggs.
City Cllr June Player said: "Natural England is protecting all birds, but who is protecting the residents?"
Cllr Tim Ball, Cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, added: "Like all councils, we are limited in what we can do about gulls."
Bath is a natural spot for seagulls to frequent as it is around 30 miles away from popular beach resorts such as Weston-super-Mare and Portishead.
A person stays in the shade as they walks past the Royal Crescent in the city of Bath
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The Roman city’s tall Georgian buildings also provide seagulls with perching points and nesting spots.
However, Bath is not the only place where seagulls have proved a problem for residents.
Gloucester, less than 50 miles away, is considering whether to deploy hawks in its city centre as part of "gull mitigation" plans.
A plan in the Welsh seaside town of Rhyl to target gull eggs was abandoned this summer amid opposition from animal rights campaigners.
Blackpool Zoo even attracted 250 applicants from around the world after it advertised for a £10.80 an hour Seagull Deterrent role.