Dive-bombing seagulls close shopping centre after 'attacking customers'

Dive-bombing seagulls have caused half of a shopping centre car park to close because of fears of injuries to customers.

Forget the dead birds falling out of the sky in the US, it's live ones dive-bombing humans that you want to worry about.

Two levels of the Regent Arcade in Cheltenham were shut when the birds, some of which were said to be 60cm (22in) tall, became aggressive.

Shopping centre manager John Forward said the gulls were becoming more and more aggressive, and he claimed it was only a matter of time before they hurt a child.

'If we don't do something about it we are going to have a seagull attacking a child. I'm telling you, it's only a matter of time before this happens. We can't just stick our heads in the sand. If the council wants to treat this seriously and deal with the situation then money has to be invested.'

Hawks could now be used to drive the seagulls away.