DESPERATE measures are now increasingly being talked about over controlling Worcester's seagulls, but is the best yet to come?

During a special city council 'seagulls debate' on Wednesday night the idea of contraception reared its ugly head - the Pill, to you and me, which could be force fed to these delightful scavengers to stop them hatching eggs.

What next, a seagull condom?

* COUNCILLOR Alan Amos has reverted back to parodying himself by urging a 'gulls cull', saying the only solution may be to "kill the bloody things".

Yet you only have to Google the law around this issue to realise the chances of this ever being allowed in Worcester - let alone areas genuinely plagued by the birds - is simply non-existent.

A licence which would allow a cull can only be granted if there are absolutely no 'non-lethal solutions' left - and as long as the health of the public-at-large, other birds or agriculture is seriously at risk.

Add in the hard, cold fact that Worcester's gull population has fallen - at least in the city centre - and you have no chance whatsoever of gaining permission.

* THE University of Worcester's vice-chancellor Professor David Green took part in a city council Q&A on Wednesday, which led to one particular eye-opening titbit.

In the 1960s Worcester was offered the chance to have a university, only for the city's then-leaders at county and borough level to turn it down.

Fearing it could "distort the local property market" and may not win votes, they inexplicably said no - leaving national decision-makers to look elsewhere.

That university is now the remarkable success story that is Warwick - the only one in Britain apart from Oxford and Cambridge to have never been ranked outside the UK's top 10.

What pure folly.

* THE campaign to secure £70 million to dual Worcester's Carrington Bridge has been ramped up big time, but there was no chance the powers-that-be would be allowed to forget it in a hurry anyway.

Transport minister Andrew Jones is said to have taken such an ear-chewing over the dire need for this cash, he's taken to unusual methods to escape his tormentors.

"We did go through a time where the minister was hiding from me, at one stage, because he thought I'd bash him about the Carrington Bridge," says Worcester MP Robin Walker.

* THESE councils in Worcestershire are trying to save money, but does the right arm ever speak to the left?

Last month Worcester City Council revealed it was placing all 14 car parks under 'review' with a view to possible sell-offs or 'development opportunities', to bring in cash.

Now Worcestershire County Council's scrutiny function, tasked with finding new ideas to bring in money, suggests having more car parks.

You might want to direct dial your cousins up the road!