Readers Letters: While experts say seagulls aren't savage, I'm on the ground, bloodied

She, frankly, has no conception of the annual misery those of us on the coast are enduring, and we welcome Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie's summit in Inverness. One survives in this, the Rosyth and Inverkeithing war zone, by carrying an umbrella on a warm, sunny day. For 25 years I took my kids on summer holiday to Scarborough, Whitby or Bridlington. You could sit happily on a harbour wall and chuck some chips or bread to a friendly seagull. Today you could remake Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds in Inverkeithing Square, where there are currently a dozen rooftop nests.

On Sunday 29 June I was attacked by six seagulls at Inverkeithing Square. I saw a chick walking on the ground so moved well away. As I ran towards the main road, the gulls made a warning sound. They did a low pass. They dropped regurgitated food on me (or worse, but The Scotsman is a family newspaper). Then, as I ran and zig zagged and waved my arms around, they became missiles with their razor-sharp beaks, talons at the heel and large wingspans. They toppled me as, looking up, I fell over the kerb onto the main road.

Only then did they leave me, cut, bruised, my neck bleeding, my jacket ripped and my dignity in pieces.

This summer I have heard of four people here whose pet dogs were attacked, two young mums whose infants were swooped on to get at their chip suppers, and we have witnessed seagulls lifting a baby kitten off the ground – we intervened – and primary-age children with blood on their necks.

Last summer, at my flats, we had two neighbours, a postie and a binman, taken to A&E after unprovoked attacks! No, these birds are NOT misrepresented. The Pest Control Staff at Fife Council outlined the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, whereby it is illegal to recklessly injure or kill a gull, whose numbers are said to be in decline. I wouldn't want to anyway, though some call them rats in the sky. The council will attend to the problem on a public building, such as a local high school, but pest control will come to your home at considerable cost. The RSPB said that a town can bring in a hawk (for example at Wimbledon), erect a silhouette of an owl, they can put up rooftop spikes, carry out egg oiling or put ersatz eggs in the nest. They warned that the instinctive defence mechanism of flapping our arms, agitates seagulls even more!

Meanwhile, the seagulls, which used to happily fish, are increasingly moving inland, attracted by open-topped litter bins, discarded food, landfill and the lack of predators. They are noisy, foul your washing on the line and make cars filthy. We count the days until the chicks are fully grown and we can emerge safely from our homes.

John V Lloyd, Inverkeithing, Fife

Poverty lines

Alan Woodcock again disappears down the usual separatist rabbit warren of claiming we In Scotland are in a better state than our English and Welsh neighbours regarding levels of poverty (Letters 4 July).

The constituencies of MSP Nicola Sturgeon (failed former first minister of Scotland) and MP Stephen Flynn (aspiring to become another failed FM), Glasgow Southside and Aberdeen South respectively, would give the strongest indication Mr Woodcock is wrong.

These two constituencies are a glaring example of SNP members’ utter disregard for the very people who voted for them. Mr Woodcock states that this lower level of poverty is due to the policies of this discredited government in Scotland. What policies? Greater handouts to those who will not work when they can, freebies which have contributed to a £5 billion black hole in the country’s finances?

Yet again the realities of the state of our nation, education, public services, ferries et al are ignored for ridiculous soundbites. As a former teacher used to say to a student who was away in another world day dreaming, these separatists should “come out of the chloroform!”

D Millar, Lauder, Scottish Borders

Loss for Scotland

The recent announcement by Scottish Enterprise of the closure of Scotland Europa as of March 2026 is devastating news.

Closure of the networking group that provided support to businesses and public agencies, promoting Scotland's interests across the institutions of the European Union, is a sad signal of our continuing retreat from engagement with the EU and partnerships and networks.

Scotland will lose a massive presence in the Brussels policy community; a community within which Scotland Europa is hugely admired and emulated. The demise of Scotland Europa follows the folding of the Scottish European Educational Trust and the closure of the European Parliament’s office.

As a result of this, there will be fewer connections between Scotland, Europe's institutions and EU member states, with our economy increasingly disconnected from our European partners.

Scottish Enterprise must rethink its stance on what amounts to a very small budgetary saving. Brexit has been incredibly damaging for the Scottish economy, and it is vital that we retain our presence and influence in Brussels.

Alex Orr, Edinburgh

Faint praise

I should like to congratulate Anas Sarwar for his article in The Scotsman of 4 July headed “Labour has started to rebuild country after years of misrule” for the best piece of sustained irony I have read for some time.

S Beck. Edinburgh

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