Fresh bid to cut Dumfries seagull numbers

The initiative hopes to cut seagull numbers in the town

A second nest and egg removal programme has been launched in Dumfries in a bid to curb the town's seagull numbers.

The scheme was first introduced last year as part of a Scottish government-backed anti-gull initiative.

The town hosted a national summit on the issue before being selected to pilot efforts to tackle the problem.

A first initiative was to fly a falcon to disrupt gull breeding but it was found that the number of breeding pairs actually increased after that effort.

The second phase of the programme was the introduction of a nest removal scheme which saw almost 700 destroyed along with 1,500 eggs.

The service - which is provided free by Dumfries and Galloway Council - is now being repeated in the hope that it will have a marked impact on gull numbers.

Business owners and householders in Dumfries and nearby Heathhall with nests on their properties are being urged to report them to the authority.

The removal scheme will run until the end of July.