Gulls are a protected species, however, in my local area they are breeding prolifically each year at a higher degree than their natural death rate, and they appear to have very few natural predators with which to keep the numbers down.

I and some of my neighbours and visitors are being attacked when walking from our homes and accessing our cars, simply because the parent gulls are protecting their young which are sitting around on the ground in the area. Gulls are protected from humans but we are not protected from them. I tolerate their constant mess on my washing line and my car, but do not appreciate being attacked. 

It seems acceptable to some, to propose the cull of grey squirrels on the Lizard, for the purpose of introducing red ones, and the government seemed at one time to want the cull of badgers, but it seems multiple breeding of gulls each year is going to continue. 

I do not feed the gulls but one thing that does obviously encourage them to remain in the village is the provision of food from unprotected rubbish sacks on collection day. 

I have a small wheelie bin, however, it is simple enough to cover ones bags with a sheet/ towel/blanket etc if one chooses not to have a bin. 

One has to wonder what happens a few years down the line if the gull population within villages and towns is so high it is intolerable, it may even have a knock on effect on tourism. I have already had several holiday makers tell me they will not return to Mullion village, simply because of the constant gull screaming noise virtually 24 hours a day.

They are beautiful birds and I personally could never harm any creature, and one expects some gulls in a seaside environment, however, by not providing a food source within towns and villages they might just remain at tolerable numbers and source food from their natural habitat.

I would like to know if members of parliament would tolerate being attacked by gulls; they might do well to remember, they themselves are not a protected in office species when it comes to voting.

Gill Zella Martin