Residents and business owners alike are being urged to act now to tackle the seagull menace, by instigating control measures before eggs hatch.

The population of gulls in the UK is rapidly increasing, with rooftop nests having quadrupled over the past 15 years as multi-generational colonies grow.

Herring gulls are protected by EU and international law, and although culls have been suggested, killing the birds is illegal.

The breeding season has now begun and eggs will start to hatch in May, so people are advised to act fast and implement gull management initiatives before eggs begin to hatch.

In February issues around gulls were raised at Westminster for the first time since David Cameron called for a "big conversation" about gulls in 2015.

MPs from Plymouth, St Ives, Cheltenham and Aberdeen debated what measures could be taken to address the various problems that can occur when nesting sites are established alongside humans.

John Dickson, managing director of NBC Environment, said: “It is good to see the matter of gull management being addressed proactively, rather than waiting for the inevitable cycle of media scare-stories about gull attacks in the summer months.

"The majority of those taking part in the debate represented coastal areas. Notably Derek Thomas, MP for St. Ives, spoke to address the case of a teenager who narrowly avoided critical injury after falling off a sea wall during a gull mugging in July last year.

"As this high-profile incident goes to show, despite the lurid reporting, that it is just a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt.

"We work hard to balance commercial and public safety objectives with ecological responsibility.

"It would be entirely wrong to characterise gulls merely as pests. Rather, the problem lies in where they are choosing to nest.

"This impacts both the public and private sectors.

"Over and above the damage to property, organisations could potentially take the brunt of any litigation from anyone who suffers ill-health or injury on account of gulls, for example as a result of aggressive behaviour, or a slip on faeces.

“This doesn’t warrant a cull though. We need to remember that many species, including herring gulls, are in decline across Europe and we are bound by EU and international laws to protect them.

"Gull populations are on the rebound in the UK thanks to this forward-looking wildlife legislation and it makes no sense to reverse good conservation work.

"The fact MPs are now calling for an annual ‘seagull (sic) summit’ and a national study is very positive because it suggests they are looking for long term solutions instead of simply reacting to sensationalised stories.”