MPs take to parliament to debate what can be done about seagulls, but Sarah Newton MP says there is no simple solution

Oliver Colvile, MP for Plymouth, led the debate in Parliament on Tuesday, February 7, inspired after his friend had his lunch stolen by a rogue gull.

There were heated scenes during the conversation including when Anne-Marie Trevelyan, MP for Berwick upon Tweed in Northumberland, stated that some of her constituents had formed vigilante gangs who organised their own cull.

Now Sarah Newton, MP for Falmouth and Truro, has waded into the issue, which she describes as "a real nuisance".

During the debate Mr Colvile said: "The reason I applied for this debate is because my friend had a chip taken away from him by an overly aggressive seagull.

"We were campaigning in the Torbay mayoral election at the time and he put his fish and chips down to one side and they swooped down and took them away, and he didn't get to finish his lunch I'm afraid.

"I would most certainly advise my constituents to ensure they do not seek to break the law, but I think there are a number of things that the Government can do to make the position much better.

"I cannot see how a seagull attacking a pensioner leaving her with a huge and bloody cut on her scalp is not seen in terms of public health and safety."

Over the years the South West has had many incidents with the unruly birds, ranging from seagulls violently snatching food from children and pensioners, to killing small dogs.

The ministers went on to suggest that anti-seagull measures could be made, such as making new buildings seagull proof, but according to local MP Sarah Newton, there is no simple solution to the problem.

Ms Newton said: "I understand that seagulls can be a real nuisance and can cause harm to people, especially people eating in public places.

"There are a range of practical steps people can take to prevent 'attacks' from seagulls and there are legal measures people and local councils can take to try and control their numbers.

"There isn't one simple solution. The debate was useful in highlighting what measures can be taken."

A spokesperson for the RSPB in the South West said: "We need to take a common sense approach about this in urban areas to stop conflict between people and these birds.

"Simple things like not feeding gulls and making sure they cannot access rubbish and food waste make a big difference and we would urge everybody to follow that advice.

“Some South West councils are adopting this kind of approach and we hope more will follow suit and respond to this in a proportionate way.

“Outside towns and cities gulls are declining quite rapidly and it is right they are protected.

"We need another UK-wide census of gulls and other seabirds to find out exactly how they are faring and in the meantime would remind everybody gulls are protected by law.”

All species of gull, including seagulls, are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it illegal to intentionally injure or kill any gull.

But despite this, some people in Berwick have taken the law into their own hands and organised a cull of the birds.

Ms Trevelyan said: "We are plagued with the problem to the point that last summer some one took it upon them selves to institute their own cull which, while appreciated in some quarters, brought the risk that people are having to take the law into their own hands to deal with these really difficult and aggressive birds which means that people are wandering the streets of Berwick with firearms who really shouldn’t be doing so.

"So the impact of that frustration is very very real."