WE live next to a large factory which for years has been home to a colony of gulls. 

Rapidly, this group of birds has increased it’s size and territory despite the best efforts of the factory to control them. 

The gulls scream and overfly continually, day and night, making it difficult to sleep and impossible to enjoy any time outdoors. 

We frequently have to clean mess from our property and are worried about contact with salmonella bacteria in the droppings and contamination of the food produced in our garden.

Contrary to Mr Bradbury’s claim (Gull sympathy, Postbag, July 27) that gulls are occasionally aggressive and that their attacks are exaggerated by the media and rare, they are always aggressive and try to attack or intimidate whenever they can. 

This behaviour is acceptable in their natural environment but not in an urban area. 

One wonders if Mr Bradbury has had to endure this intrusion himself.

These disturbing interlopers from the coast do not belong here and have frightened off many indigenous birds including a pair of buzzards who would raise young each year. 

If this unwelcome infestation was rats instead of gulls, they would not be tolerated and would be eradicated without sympathy.

MR AND MRS COX
Wellington