Oil offensive on gulls

A city council is claiming victory in the war against gulls after oiling almost 1,000 eggs.

Gloucester City Council believes its programme of egg oiling, which started last year, has reduced the number of gulls in the city centre.

The process involves taking the eggs from the nest and dipping them in oil to sterilise them. This fools the adult birds into sitting on them for longer periods, waiting for them to hatch.