North Ayrshire MP Patricia Gibson has spoken at House of Commons debate about how seagulls can terrorise communities including Largs.

She said: "This is a problem which confronts the seaside town of Largs in my constituency - it is a beautiful picturesque town which has so much to offer for residents and visitors but there is the constant challenge of seagulls which can be a downright menace - there are cases of people being quite badly injured, while others have escaped with being terrorised by the experience.

"One important instrument is the public needs to stop feeding them - it is important visitors to the town are aware of that - as this only attracts more of them, and it builds up the expectation that food is there for the taking. They have been known to plague Largs residents even in their gardens, some distance from the shoreline.

"And the world famous Nardinis has even warned their patrons not to eat ice cream out of doors, since the seagulls will soon appear to claim it as their own. Nothing can safely be eaten on the shorefront without risking life and limb at the beak of a vicious seagull."