Appeal to stop seagull shootings

The attack is believed to be linked to the shooting of another bird in Bexhill last week and a spate of similar incidents.

East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service officials say shootings have also been reported in Eastbourne and Hastings, especially in the Old Town.

The problem is now so severe, even birds being rescued from fishing nets or traffic accidents are being routinely x-rayed for gunshot wounds.

Now animals lovers and Bexhill Police are appealing for help in putting a stop to the cruel practice.

Children first noticed the injured bird on Eversley Road at around 1pm on Sunday but it escaped before they could capture and assist it.

At 2pm the herring gull was spotted again by Gloria Hennessey, 52, who managed to catch it.

She said: "At first I thought it had been hit by a car. But the wound was so precise it was clear it had been shot. The bird's wing was hanging off and it was wandering round the streets in pain on its own."

East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Services assisted the bird and it is hoped the a four-year-old female gull will make a full recovery despite her wing being split down the middle in the shooting.

Tim McKenzie, casualty care manager at East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Services said: "People shoot the herring gulls because they don't want them nesting on their roofs or defecating on their cars.

"Contrary to popular belief the herring gulls do not attack humans and peck people's eyes out. They'll cry out if you go near their young but what mother would not want to protect her offspring? They are persecuted for being very good parents.

"There is an easy deterrent. Plastic spikes to put on the roofs of houses can be purchased for 25 from the internet. It's very humane. If the herring gulls can't land then they can't nest."

The herring gull is a protected species which has recently been placed on the government's action plan. Their population has halved in the UK over the past fifteen years with numbers plummeting from 400,000 to 200,000, the largest populations being in Eastbourne, Brighton and Hastings.

It is illegal to harm the birds or their nests. There is a fine of 5,000 and six months imprisonment for anyone caught shooting a herring gull. Action could also be taken against anyone talking or bragging about shooting a herring gull.

Mr McKenzie said: "We need to nip this in the bud. I would urge all Bexhill residents to report any shootings or cruelty towards herring gulls to the police immediately.The herring gulls are part of Bexhill.

"This is a man-made problem. We have over-fished the seas so there is not enough food for the birds. As a result the herring gulls come inland to find food amongst the litter we throw onto the streets. All they want to do is live the coastal life they have been living for thousands of years. At this rate we'll be driving them to extinction."

Witnesses or anyone with information should contact community neighbourhood officer Andrea Gallastegui on 0845 6070 999 quoting serial number 735