Why Britain became infested with dog-killing seagulls

Britain is facing an influx of vicious seagulls that are so big they can kill dogs.

That may sound like like a tabloid headline, but it's a real issue in many UK coastal towns, which have become infested with the feral beasts.

Seagulls used to live largely out at sea, eating fish. But a huge population of gulls has evolved its behaviour since the 1970s to live in cities, feeding off rubbish, human food, and - occasionally - picking off live pets from people's back gardens. These urban gulls don't bother going out to sea much anymore.

In May, a seagull pecked a chihuahua to death in Devon. A Yorkshire Terrier was killed by swooping gulls in Cornwall. A pet tortoise was eaten like a crab in Liskeard. Gulls in London prey on live pigeons in Hyde Park by holding them under water with their webbed claws, in order to eat them.

They kill sheep in Ireland. They can attack pensioners, leaving them bloodied. There are even lawyers that specialise in seagull injury claims.

The problem is that seagulls are meat-eating and omnivorous. With wingspans reaching 5 feet 7 inches, they are like flying dogs, with the appetites of rats. In certain seaside towns like Brighton, it is impossible to eat food outdoors - gulls will swoop down and steal it from your hands. Their droppings fall like pints of whitewash, defacing everything.

Even the Prime Minister has called for a "big conversation" about it.

This is the story of why the seagulls suddenly decided to ditch the sea and come live with us.