Cornwall Council is offering advice to householders and businesses to try and head off some of the annual problems caused by seagulls.

Every year there are complaints about noise, the mess caused by gull droppings, damage to property caused by nests and, of course, gulls stealing food and even attacking pets and people.

Geoff Brown, cabinet  member for communities, says the best advice is to deter them from nesting in the first place.

Householders and businesses should arrange to remove all nests and nesting material from buildings now and then discourage the gulls from coming back by fitting plastic or metal spikes in the nesting and roosting areas of the roof. 

Wires or netting can also be effective and it is important to make sure that all potential nesting and roosting sites on the roof are protected, especially behind chimney stacks.

Gulls need food too so the advice is: don’t feed the gulls, don’t leave lids off bins, don’t put rubbish out too early, and do cover rubbish sacks to prevent attack by gulls or other pests. Don’t drop litter and avoid eating in the street.

Seagull proof rubbish sacks can be bought from Cornwall Council One Stop Shops.