Man mows down seagulls after luring them into road with chips

A driver in Somerset used a bag of chips to lure seagulls into the middle of the road before accelerating a car into the flock of birds, mowing them down and leaving at least five dead.

The RSPCA has launched an appeal to trace the individual, who witnesses said was driving a gold-coloured Volkswagen Caddy with a disabled driver sign on it in Taunton.

The birds were left “dying in the road” with broken wings and “horrendous injuries”, the wildlife charity said.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA told The Independent the attack on the birds on Tuesday 2 July was “an unacceptable and intentionally cruel way to treat animals”.

“We understand chips had been placed in the road and that the driver sped up and aimed at the birds before driving away as they struggled with broken wings and other horrendous injuries in the road.

“We’d like to speak to anyone who saw what happened, or from anyone who has dash cam or CCTV footage from around the time this happened that can help with our investigation.

“They can contact the RSPCA inspectorate appeal line in confidence on 0300 123 8018.”

All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is illegal – except under licence – to intentionally take, injure or kill wild birds or interfere with their nest or eggs.

The maximum penalty, if found guilty, is six months in prison and/or an unlimited fine.

The attack on the birds comes a week after Southern Water hired falconers to patrol a beach on the south coast with birds of prey to scare away gulls so they would not defecate in the sea, which the company claimed contributed to pollution.