The people of Great Yarmouth have reacted to the latest incident of animal abuse against seagulls, after one of the baby birds was kicked before being stuffed into a bin.

The incident divided opinions, with some saying the birds needed to be culled but in a more humane way, and others saying it was the humans who needed to change their behaviour.

Alan Davie, from Great Yarmouth said: “Doing what this man has done to an animal is horrible, it’s gross. There are methods I think we could take which would alleviate the problems that come with having so many gulls, for example getting kites to deter them.

“I’ve put one up near my house and it’s kept them away. Likewise the hawk on market days has had some effect. Either way, it’s not right to be cruel to them.”

Barry Ellis, also from Great Yarmouth said: “We don’t only need to monitor the seagulls but the people who do that sort of thing to them, it’s horrible.

“They are pests, but you see stall keepers moaning about them stealing the produce and then throwing out all their leftovers at the end of the day. If people didn’t feed them they’d be less of a problem.”

Julie Alexander runs Julie’s Tea Stall, she said: “I wouldn’t like to see what that man did, it’s cruel. But I don’t think the gulls are in any way integral to Great Yarmouth, I wouldn’t be sad to see them go.

“I’ve seen children attacked, people dived on from behind, a woman with a cut down her face from where she was attacked. They’re horrible.”

Neville Chapman says: “I think we could cull some of them. Every stall has to give warnings to their customers as they walk away because of how quickly they attack. The hawk used to work but I think they’re getting used to it, and know that the hawk can’t get to them. I’ve seen them attacking the hawk before.”

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• Man stuffed injured baby seagull into bin as onlookers watched in “disbelief”