Divebombing seagulls turn Fife street into a no-go zone following a spate of terrifying attacks on locals
Families told how they are being forced to give the area a wide berth after being swooped on by beaked bullies guarding their rooftop nests
DIVEBOMBING seagulls have turned a street into a no-go zone following a spate of terrifying attacks.
Families told how they are being forced to give the area a wide berth after being swooped on by beaked bullies guarding their rooftop nests.
The Scottish Sun on Sunday decided to run the gauntlet ourselves after we revealed Margaret Cruickshanks, 80, took a heart attack when a feathered fiend pounced and pecked her head as she walked her dog in Kirkcaldy.
And as our pictures show, the crazed gulls didn’t take kindly to our presence. From the moment we arrived the super-protective birds began screeching their disapproval.
And as soon as our reporter — armed with a cycle helmet and brolly — began innocently strolling past their rooftop home, the winged pests left their perches with malicious intent.
Our man had to duck and dive to avoid being pecked as up to four birds at a time circled, taking it in turns to bullet from the skies towards their victim.
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Kevin Mackay, 27, revealed he is targeted on a daily basis in the town’s Patterson Street.
He said: “A chick was walking about the other day and nobody could get through because its parents were going for anyone who went near.
“It’s crazy. I had to turn back and go a different route because I was just getting swooped on. They come in so close. I genuinely thought I was going to get pecked.
“I’ve got one nesting on my chimney and sometimes it feels like I can’t leave the house. There is only so much the authorities can do but it’s ridiculous that folk have to put up with it.”
Local Robert Paterson, 64, is convinced the attacks have become more frequent.
He said: “As soon as I go out I see the birds up on the roof looking down at me. They just come diving straight towards you. I’ve lived here all my life and I don’t rem- ember it being this bad.
“They are obviously protecting their young. I’ve no idea what can be done but I can’t see a lot of folk walking about with cycle hats on.”
Robert’s partner Georgina Aitchison, 69, reveal- ed: “There’s a wee dog in the flat upstairs.
“He’ll sit out with us when the weather’s nice but these birds go for him as well — it’s terrifying.”
A Fife Council spokeswoman said it was working with experts to remove eggs in a bid to combat the menace.
She added: “We will review this programme after 12 months to determine if it’s successful. We are aware this is a problem across Fife and are monitoring the situation.”
We told, left, how Margaret screamed for help and banged on doors as she ran for cover from the aerial assault in the street last month.
She said: “Its beak was hitting my head and trying to pull my hair out. I tried to fight it off with my stick but it made things worse.”
She felt agonising chest pains on the bus to her Glenrothes flat before being rushed to hospital after dialling 999.
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