The UK city where 'rat-eating' seagulls force locals to remain inside amid fear of attack

A large Scottish metropolis has been peculiarly severely hit, owed to its ample seagull population. (Image: Getty)

A large UK metropolis has been worst deed by a surge successful seagull attacks, with terrifying reports radical having to fell indoors to debar them.

Seagull attacks are becoming an expanding occupation successful coastal areas crossed the UK, and peculiarly successful Glasgow, which has the highest colonisation of the maestro scavengers.

Information obtained by the MailOnline showed Glasgow City Council signaling concerns from locals, including accounts they were fixed of birds being fed, which successful crook attracted "swarms of seagulls and caller can’t unfastened model oregon spell extracurricular arsenic they are being attacked by seagulls, with this happening daily". 

They besides noted the grim item that the seagull incidents included the birds "eating rats daily".

It's thought seagulls are travelling further inland much than ever due to the fact that of dropping food numbers. James Silvey, taxon and habitats serviceman astatine RSPB Scotland, told the insubstantial that the build-ups of the creatures successful municipality areas "reflects that accepted habitats and nutrient sources are successful decline, making it harder for them to past and rise young successful their earthy habitats".  

The bare birds often marque audacious attempts to bargain nutrient from beachgoers (Image: SWNS)

He called for urgent enactment "to assistance gulls and different globally important seabird colonies successful Scotland recover".

Though galore respect them arsenic a menace, seagulls are protected nether the instrumentality successful Scotland. However, if they are perceived to airs a superior risk, peculiar applications tin beryllium made to get escaped of them.

Express.co.uk has approached Glasgow City Council for comment.

According to the newpaper, astir 700 complaints person been raised astatine councils each crossed Scotland this twelvemonth already, aft lone 600 during the full of 2023.

These included disturbing accounts of children being near bloodied by swoop attacks, and household pets being targeted.

It's besides affected section takeaway businesses. A section steadfast successful Fife has adjacent brought successful a "toastie insurance" aft becoming fed up with the birds lurking astir and pinching their customers' food.

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Kate Carter-Larg, who runs the Cheesy Toast Shack in St Andrews with hubby Sam, said: "There’s been truthful galore seagull attacks and it’s been ramping up implicit the past mates of years.

“Our grounds is 30 attacks successful 1 time truthful we wanted to travel up with thing that could support some the lawsuit and the business.

"People volition travel to instrumentality photos of our sandwiches - and the infinitesimal they clasp a toastie up for a pic - each the seagulls dive weaponry them.”

People person fixed chilling accounts of however cunning the creatures tin be.

Gavin Lindsay, of Anglo Scottish Pest Control, which deals with gull complaints successful the superior Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders, told the Mail helium saw a gull "sitting connected apical of a bin" earlier "shooting upwards and swallowing a starling successful mid-air, similar a vertebrate of prey".

He added: "It was rather singular and shows the capableness of these birds. They are intelligent creatures and capable to recognise our staff, and we person seen gulls stitchery successful immense numbers and enactment aggressively towards america erstwhile they spot america coming retired of our vans."