AGGRESSIVE seagulls are taking over Sanders Park, according to one Bromsgrove mum, who says they have been swarming around children and 'dive-bombing' resident ducks.

Carole Woliter, 49, regularly visits the town centre park with her 10-year-old daughter to feed the ducks, but says gulls, sometimes gathering in colonies of more than 50, are a nuisance and need to be 'thinned out'.

She said: "The problem's been going on for a while now and there's always loads there in the morning. They sit there on the bank until someone starts feeding the ducks and then they start dive-bombing to get the food off the ducks.

"I've actually seen the seagulls following the ducks because they've got bread and then pushing them under the water to get it. If there's a young child feeding the ducks they just swarm around them."

Carole worries the gulls might start attacking children and says that Bromsgrove District Council could consider culling.

"They need thinning out a bit," she said. "Because, when they start mating, there's going to be even more, but it depends. All the animal lovers will start coming out of the woodwork, preaching, but they'll just multiply if not and take over the ducks in the park."

Worcester City Council's Labour leadership has recently unveiled a £15,000 package to tackle the city's unpopular scavengers, after an influx of complaints about the birds plaguing residential areas.

But Worcester council chiefs have ruled out any plans to apply for a cull licence, and are instead discussing tactics such as leaving fake eggs on rooftops.

A spokesman for Bromsgrove District Council said it has received no other complaints about seagulls in Sanders Park.

The spokesman added: "However we would urge visitors not to feed the ducks excessively or leave any food-waste lying around as this does attract them, and rats, particularly at this time of year. It also means our parks are debris free to be enjoyed by everyone."