By Dave Lord

RESIDENTS OF an upmarket Perth street have told how they live in constant fear of aerial attack.

Locals in Beechgrove Drive find they have regularly to dive for cover as “vicious seagulls” swoop on them.

Postmen have also been attacked and residents are now being warned to be “aware of the threat.”

Meanwhile, Perth and Kinross Council have pledged to “see if anything can be done” about the aggressive seabirds.

Pensioner Joyce Pitt (83) is among those scared to venture outdoors.

“It is an extremely frightening situation,” she told The Courier last night.

“The gulls are quite vicious and have very long beaks so it is most alarming when they aim for your head or back.”

Mrs Pitt described how her window cleaner is refusing to return to her house until the threat from above abates.

“It has really got out of hand and most local people are even afraid to sit out in their gardens,” Mrs Pitt continued.

“I phoned the RSPB and was told that when I venture outside I should carry a stick above my head.

“The other day I had to cut the grass while holding a stick aloft which was far from easy but at least it meant I was not attacked.

“The gulls did swoop but were more interested in the stick than me.

“However, the situation is far from ideal,” she added.

Mrs Pitt claimed some mail deliveries had been disrupted as postmen were too scared to walk along the road.

“I quite understand their fears,” she said.

“It is a really nasty situation and to be honest I just wish somebody would come along with a gun and shoot them.”

A spokesman for Perth and Kinross Council said the local authority was well aware of the problem.

“We have received a complaint from a concerned local resident,” he confirmed.

“Seagulls can become aggressive and territorial when they have young chicks in their nests, so it is likely there are nests containing chicks in the area at the moment.”

The spokesman said steps were being taken in a bid to control the problem.

“An ongoing gull control programme is already being carried out at the nearby council-owned Beechgrove House,” he said.

“Pest control contractors visit the building every three weeks and remove any nesting material and eggs they find.

“They are working under a licence issued by the Scottish Government which allows for the control of certain pest species.”

Council officials are warning locals to be on the lookout.

“The contractors will be asked to also check the wider area around Beechgrove House to see if there is anything that can be done about these aggressive gulls,” the spokesman continued.

“In the meantime we would advise local residents to be aware of the threat when they are outdoors.”

A spokeswoman at Royal Mail told The Courier that representatives had come under attack when delivering mail in the area.

“There have been a few incidents where those delivering mail in the Beechgrove Drive and Beechgrove Terrace area have been attacked by seagulls,” she said.

“The safety of our staff is paramount and where there is a threat to that safety, some customers may find their mail cannot be delivered until the threat is reduced.

“This is something that happens every year due to the nesting season.

“However, the service is running normally at present and any customer who has a concern about their mail delivery should contact customer services on 08457 740740.”