More gull seafront attacks on children
More victims raise concerns as the council stands by comment that more netting will solve it
More attacks have been reported of food-grab swoops by gulls on children in Scarborough after another boy was left traumatised.
An 11-year-old boy was left traumatised when he was attacked by swooping gulls after his lunch – as the council is yet to take effective action.
Residents are coming forward in increasing numbers to report increases in dangerous swoops, foul mess, which has been deemed a health hazard, and random attacks.
Scarborough Borough Council is still officially insists that more netting on buildings is the answer despite peas by the public forprotection.
Grandmother Mrs Nelson, of Scalby, said: “My son in law and our two grandchildren aged 15 and 11 visited Scarborough during the last school summer holidays.
“Whilst walking on the seafront on South Bay my sonin-law bought my 11-year-old a baguette for his lunch.
“He was eating this on the footway by the sea when a gull knocked into his head with its wing as another gull swooped down and pulled the baguette from his hand, knocking it to the floor.”
Dismayed at the council’s lack of action on the issue, she added: “This naturally traumatised my grandson who now does not wish to visit Scarborough seafront again.”
Mrs Nelson added: “It is high time the local authorities acted to reduce the number of gulls in the general holiday area.”
Last week The Scarborough News reported an incident where a young boy was swooped on – and the gulls beak had broken the skin on his hand.
The council has been told by MPs and the government that it cannot claim that there are legal obstacles to action. Robert Goodwill and Kevin Hollinrake, have both heard from the Department of the Environment that action CAN be taken on the grounds of public safety.
Another resident, Ernie Sidebottom said: “Myself and my other half, Janice, were victims of a gull attack alongside Whitby Harbour. She was taking a pizza slice lunch when a gull swooped and took the slice in one swoop – with such force that the downward draught from its wings partially disgrandson lodged my glasses.”
Pleading for action by the borough council to protect people, he added: “I dread to think of the likely outcome if it was a toddler being attacked.”
Mr Sidebottom, a deep-sea angler, added: “Over the 40 years or so I’ve been angling I have seen gull presence increase alarmingly.
“On a recent trip, off Whitby, we were accompanied by 40-50 gulls from the first point we stopped to fish until returning to harbour eight or so hours later. Within this time we were continuously ‘dive-bombed’ for any scrap of food and when returning to harbour, the gulls were hovering and swooping within a yard of our heads.
“I would fully support effective, humane action to relieve the gull problem and, if necessary, action to dissuade people openly feeding them, issuing fines to them and to fast food operators without effective waste bins.”
The frustrated public has also spoken out against the council’s inaction, gull mess and how it affects tourism
‘My grandson now does not wish to visit the seafront again’