FEATHERS are flying in a Barrhead street as angry seagulls terrorise families.

The belligerent birds are said to be “creating havoc” for residents in a normally quiet neighbourhood around Lomond Drive.

There have been complaints about the seagulls dive-bombing homeowners and swooping on pets.

They also attacked a local councillor when he went to the scene to investigate.

And the Barrhead News has been told a postman refused to deliver to three addresses where the aggressive avians have taken up residence, over fears for his safety.

The problem began in May – the start of the breeding season – when the gulls set up nests at properties in and around Lomond Drive and Linnhe Drive.

In previous years, the birds would nest on the roof of a nearby lorry park but, with that building now demolished, they have established new homes on top of the Barrhead bungalows.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: “They’ve become a real pest, creating havoc for people who are just trying to get to and from their own houses by swooping at them quite aggressively.

“I’ve been out washing my car and been swooped at a few times. I’m wary about my grandchildren coming to the house because they would rightly be frightened by something that size bearing down on them.

“I would say the person most worried is the man who was attacked walking his dog in Linnhe Drive. Not only did they come after him, they came after his dog.

“It’s a bit like a scene out of that film The Birds, by Alfred Hitchcock.
“The postman has been unable to deliver to three addresses because he was being attacked.

“I hoped the council would take some action but the last we heard is we just have to wait for the chicks to leave.”

Councillor Danny Devlin said he became involved after receiving a number of calls from residents and a letter from Royal Mail confirming deliveries to three homes have been stopped for health and safety reasons.

“A few people have been attacked,” said Cllr Devlin, who represents Barrhead, Liboside and Uplawmoor.

“I was attacked myself when I went down there. I was dive-bombed as soon as I went in the garden. They’re very protective of their chicks.

“I brought somebody from the council down and we offered to get rid of the nest but the residents didn’t want that because, by that point, the eggs had hatched and they didn’t want the chicks harmed.

“It was agreed to leave it until after the chicks fly away and they were given information about how to prevent them nesting next year.”

An East Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “If gulls are nesting in council-owned properties and causing a danger to residents, then we will take action to disrupt the nesting season in a humane way.”

A Royal Mail said: “We attempt to deliver every day but may not be able to if the situation is deemed unsafe.”