'Epidemic' of rowdy dive-bombing seagulls 'destroying mental health of people in historic UK town'

Residents in a historic town say dive-bombing are destroying their .

The rowdy are said to be attacking unsuspecting passers-by in , Moray, so frequently that public officials have asked residents to report cases so they can make a point to the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. Elgin Community Council also disputes a NatureScot report claiming seagull populations are declining. In fact, pest controllers say the town is faced with "epidemic" numbers during the breeding season.

"They are like the Luftwaffe the way they come off the roof and everyone dives for cover as they swoop at things," Rob Teasdale, from Specialist Vermin Control, said today. By Thursday afternoon, eight per cent of respondents to the survey on the council’s page had said the birds were affecting their mental health.

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A NatureScot spokesperson said: "The latest Seabirds Count census shows that all five species of gull that breed in continue to decline, with numbers down by between 44% and 75% depending on species. NatureScot’s role is to balance the conservation and protection of species with public interests such as safeguarding people from health and safety risks.

"To make sure we get that balance right, it’s vital that our licences take into account the latest science and evidence. That’s why we clarified our guidance to ensure applicants were aware that licences can only be issued for reasons of clear public health and safety issues, and where other alternatives are not effective.

“We know that gulls can sometimes cause issues in our towns and cities and that these changes have caused concern for some people. Our licensing team have been communicating with local councils and licence holders throughout the breeding season to provide advice and support to those dealing with gull issues. Where there was a risk to health and safety, we aimed to respond swiftly to help find solutions. Now that the first breeding season under the revised guidance is drawing to a close, we will reflect on any further improvements that could be made as we continue to review and develop our licensing systems.”

in the UK throughout the summer. One young girl, a tourist from Sweden, was taken to hospital after an attack in Lyme Regis, Dorset. The gull swooped down and pinched the snack from out of the youngster's hand, cutting her limb with its beak.

And in July, locals in Lancashire claimed . The winged terrors flock to the area, which is 30 miles from the nearest coast, to scavenge on a landfill site created out of an old disused quarry.

In a video a scene reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's horror movie The Birds, hoards of gulls are seen soaring overhead with local houses, cars and gardens being bombarded by bird poo. Fed-up residents have since started a community campaign to get the operator of the landfill to do more to prevent the birds from running amok.