A CONCERNED Lyme Regis B&B owner has renewed her calls to control the ‘vicious’ seagulls plaguing the town.

Vicky Norman, of The Red House B&B in Sidmouth Road, featured in the Lyme Regis News last year because her guests have had their holidays spoilt by the birds threatening and swooping.

Her suggestion was to bring in birds of prey to ward off the gulls in a humane way.

Mrs Norman, who has run her B&B for 17 years, has now called on Lyme Regis Town Council to take action before a ‘mass attack’ happens.

Speaking at a council meeting on Wednesday, she claimed the council has been aware of the problem for many years but not considered it ‘worth doing anything about’, while West Dorset District Council is ‘seemingly unable’ to take responsibility.

She said: “I have decided to try and take on this problem for the traders who have no one, seemingly, who wants to help them.”

Mrs Norman visited food outlets on the seafront and, with a few exceptions, all of them asked for help.

“The birds are becoming ever more vicious and it will end with children and adults receiving horrific injuries if a mass attack occurs,” she said.

“If one gull attacked a child there would be a feeding frenzy by the others and there could be serious injury inflicted.”

Mrs Norman said some traders have indicated they might be willing to contribute to the flying of birds of prey on the beach during the busy months.

She said: “Because these wretched birds are protected we cannot cull, but if it is possible that would be the best answer and the flying of harris hawks and other large raptors will frighten the gulls and drive them away.”

Mrs Norman claimed that notices put up by the district council asking people not to feed the gulls are ignored.

“A byelaw might be a good idea and then the notices could be a little less polite,” she said.

Town mayor Sally Holman said local fireman and window cleaner Virgil Turner used to be authorised to shoot the birds.

“But the response from the public was this was cruel, unnecessary, and it had to be stopped because of the abuse he received,” she said.

The mayor said the council has received contradictory statements as to whether flying raptors are a good solution.

The council is now seeking advice from officers at West Dorset District Council, she added.

Lyme’s district councillor Daryl Turner said it is not a statutory duty for the authority to take any action to control gulls.

He said solutions included removing nests, egg oiling, and bird scarers.