THEY swoop on their victims almost out of nowhere. Their attacks are often vicious and many people in Worcester now live in fear of them.

No, we are not referring to hoodies or muggers - but the dive-bombing antics of gulls.

They are the bane of many people's lives as we move into the summer months and the gulls become more aggressive as their eggs hatch.

The birds have reached record numbers in the city, with more than 2,500 estimated to now be in Worcester. Of these, at least 430 are breeding pairs - a population explosion since the first such pair were spotted less than 30 years ago.

And the reason for this massive increase - well, it's all our fault. The way in which many people discard food waste, particularly from fast food establishments, is providing an urban haven for the birds.

Now the city council is both taking action to limit gull numbers and also warning that introducing wheelie bins for commercial premises may be necessary to reduce the amount of waste and, therefore, the amount of food available to the gulls.

Gull eggs are being dipped in paraffin oil - which defertilises them - or being replaced by dummy eggs. The council is keen to emphasise this is not a cull but a method of reducing and controlling gull numbers.

In the meantime, we all have a responsibility to ensure that the food that keeps the gulls in Worcester is not available.

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