Crows go berserk trying to save chick after seagull eats youngster in front of them

  • Seagull snatched the baby crow from a rooftop in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire 
  • Andrew Heppleston, 54, witnessed the horrific attack from his back garden 
  • RSPCA said gulls are aggressive when protecting chicks which fledge in August 
  • Have you been attacked or witnessed a seagull attack? Send your pictures and story to Emily.Webber@mailonline.co.uk 

Shocking pictures capture the horrifying moment a killer seagull snatches a baby crow from a rooftop as other birds try to mob it.

Andrew Heppleston, 54, a financial adviser from Chandler's Ford in Hampshire heard squawking from his neighbour's roof and witnessed the attack from his back garden this morning. 

Mr Heppleston said: 'I looked up and saw the seagull standing there with the crow's head in its beak. There were a number of crows, around four or five, going berserk around it.' 

He added: 'I was just having a quite time in my back garden, everything was right with the world, and all of a sudden there was a bit of carnage.'

The seagull snatches the baby crow on a rooftop in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, as other crows circle near it this morning

The seagull snatches the baby crow on a rooftop in Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, as other crows circle near it this morning 

Vicious: The killer gull spreads its wings as it flies off with the baby gull in Hampshire as adult crows circle above

Vicious: The killer gull spreads its wings as it flies off with the baby gull in Hampshire as adult crows circle above

The razor-beaked gull holds the tiny black bird on the Hampshire rooftop and doesn't appear startled by the crows

The razor-beaked gull holds the tiny black bird on the Hampshire rooftop and doesn't appear startled by the crows 

Under attack: The baby bird can be seen struggling in its beak as the seagull flies from the rooftop taken from a back garden in Hampshire

Under attack: The baby bird can be seen struggling in its beak as the seagull flies from the rooftop taken from a back garden in Hampshire 

Snatched: The killer gull spreads its wings as it prepares to take flight from the rooftop in Hampshire

Snatched: The killer gull spreads its wings as it prepares to take flight from the rooftop in Hampshire 

Have you been attacked or witnessed a seagull attack?

Send your pictures and story to Emily.Webber@mailonline.co.uk
Advertisement

Mr Heppleston added: 'I think it was probably a young crow that the seagull had taken and the parents were trying to get it back.

'Eventually I think the crows realised they weren't going to get it back and it calmed down a bit before the seagull flew off with the bird in its beak. In reality I think the seagull had killed the crow at this point.'

Chandler's Ford lies six miles from the coast of Southampton and outside of Eastleigh in Hampshire. 

Mr Heppleston said seagulls were a regular sight in the town but he had not witnessed such viscious behaviour before. 

Aggressive behaviour from the razor-beaked birds is rife this summer with the notable incident of Gizmo the Chihuahua dog snatched from a back garden in Paignton, Devon, three weeks ago. 

Chihuahua Gizmo was snatched in July from his owner Becca Hill, 24, who was left distraught after he was snatched from a back garden by a seagull in Paignton, Devon

Chihuahua Gizmo was snatched in July from his owner Becca Hill, 24, who was left distraught after he was snatched from a back garden by a seagull in Paignton, Devon

Becca Hill, 24, and her six-year-old daughter were left distraught after the bird swooped down and took Gizmo.

An RSPB spokesman told MailOnline the gull is likely to have been defending one of its chicks, which may have clashed with Gizmo, triggering the fierce attack.

Other attacks include a seagull snatching away a ducking from its mother in Herbert Park, Dublin.  

And in a bid to seagull-proof towns, cash-strapped councils are spending thousands of pounds on gull-proof bins and bags to stop the ravenous birds covering streets in rubbish.

Picturesque towns are being ruined by the gulls which rip open bin bags for food and leave litter strewn across the pavement.

One town hall has even threatened to take legal action against people feeding the pests in their properties.

In Margate, Kent, residents are being slapped with £110 fines for mess left by the gulls with protective sacks from Thanet District Council costing £10. 

Worcester City Council is splashing £144,000 on 28 'Big Belly' bins for across the city.

Seagulls in Margate, Kent have ravaged the town by ripping open bin bags for food and leaving litter strewn across the pavement

Seagulls in Margate, Kent have ravaged the town by ripping open bin bags for food and leaving litter strewn across the pavement

Filth: The damage caused by seagulls in Margate, Kent, where packets of food and banana skins are left across the pavement

Filth: The damage caused by seagulls in Margate, Kent, where packets of food and banana skins are left across the pavement 

Councillors have even called for a gull cull on the 'flying rats', and described the birds as an epidemic. 

The RSPCA said most gulls that are aggressive are protecting their chicks, which fledge in early August.

RSPCA Head of Wildlife Adam Grogan said: 'The RSPCA believes that deterrents and non-lethal methods of control are the best way to reduce gull related problems.

'Not feeding the gulls, disposing of rubbish properly and blocking off areas where gulls normally nest outside of the breeding season will help to reduce the problems.'

The gulls fight over rubbish in Margate, Kent. The RSPCA said most gulls that are aggressive are protecting their chicks, which fledge in early August

The gulls fight over rubbish in Margate, Kent. The RSPCA said most gulls that are aggressive are protecting their chicks, which fledge in early August

A seagull breaks into a bin bag in Margate, Kent. Not feeding the gulls and disposing of rubbish helps to tackle the issue

A seagull breaks into a bin bag in Margate, Kent. Not feeding the gulls and disposing of rubbish helps to tackle the issue 

'Unfortunately many see the birds as pests but all it takes is a little care and understanding to minimise any inconvenience caused by gulls.

'Gulls and many other species have learnt that people tend to throw away lots of edible rubbish which is why gulls are likely to peck open bags and bins to get to the food inside.' 

A Local Government Association spokesman said: 'Councils are doing everything they can to stop seagulls from disturbing residents and visitors.

'This includes using stronger refuse bags, replacing eggs with dummy replicas, painting buildings colours that deter gulls and even using specially-bred birds of prey.' 

Have you been attacked or witnessed a seagull attack? Send your pictures and story to Emily.Webber@mailonline.co.uk 

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.