SOS for seagull
Firefighters fail to save bird trapped on lamppost
Firefighters mounted a £200 rescue operation to free a seagull that was trapped on a lamppost – but the bird had to be put down.
Bothwell residents raised the alarm on Sunday afternoon when they spotted the gull in distress on Knockburnie Road.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) sent two appliances to the scene and officers freed the bird using a hydraulic crane.
And, while the Scottish SPCA were also there to assist, despite everyone’s efforts the creature had to be put out of its misery.
Louise Hume, a rescue officer with the charity, said: “I attended this address on Sunday. Unfortunately, once the seagull was free it was bleeding very heavily and suffering from a broken leg so the kindest thing was to put the bird to sleep.”
The seagull was hanging upside down after getting a leg caught in the street lighting.
It was flapping furiously in a bid to detach itself and a passer-by called out the Scottish SPCA, who in turn contacted the fire service.
An SFRS spokesman said: “At 2.56pm on Sunday we were called to assist the Scottish SPCA with an animal rescue in Bothwell.
“This was a seagull trapped four-metres high on a streetlight in Knockburnie Road.
“While the statutory responsibility for animal rescue lies with the Scottish SPCA, the SFRS will always attend where there is a risk that members of the public may attempt to effect a rescue and endanger themselves or where the animal is suffering, which can be a source of distress to the public.
“The cost to the SFRS for attending this incident was just over £200 but we do not put a price on public safety.”
One witness, who lives in the street, said: “One minute it was just a normal Sunday and the next there was people gathering to watch the drama unfold and fire engines pulling into the street.
“Fire officers shut off the entrance to a car park and actually put up yellow tape to stop people getting too close.
“The poor bird’s leg was wedged tight and you could see it was in distress.
“Some of the kids in the street were upset at the sight of the bird hanging there upside down by the leg and people really just wanted to see it rescued but it took over an hour to free the bird and it was then taken away by an Scottish SPCA officer.”
While many of the bystanders were happy to see the bird rescued, others scoffed at the cost to the public purse.
One man commented: “It was a lot of nonsense. The fire service were out for over an hour at the expense of the taxpayer.
“I’m sure we could have set the bird free without having to call out the emergency services.”
Anyone who discovers an injured or distressed wild animal can call the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
The poor bird’s leg was wedged tight