An elderly man reportedly killed a seagull in front of crying children when it stole a chip from him.

Mother-of-three Rachael Beer says the incident occurred at Weston-super-Mare's seaside resort at 5.30pm on Tuesday.

The 40-year-old claims the man grabbed a seagull by its feet and swung it against a wall after it stole food from his takeaway container.

Her graphic image of the dead seagull and a pensioner she claims is the man have now gone viral on social media and the RSPCA have confirmed they are investigating the incident.

The seagull stole a chip from a man on the seafront who allegedly sought revenge by slamming it against a wall

The man (left) is said to have shrugged at the outrage sparked by his actions as one woman looks on in disbelief (right)

Rachael, who manages Luigi’s Sweet and Rock shop in the town, said: 'I saw a seagull squawking and then taking a chip from a man’s plate. Suddenly he then grabbed it by its feet and swung it against the wall.

Law on killing seagulls Though the birds are seen as a pest by many, they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The Wildlife Order of 1985 also protects them in Northern Ireland. It is therefore illegal to intentionally kill them - or any gull - in England. It is illegal to recklessly injure or intentionally kill any gull in Northern Ireland and Scotland, where it is also prohibited to damage or destroy an active nest or its contents. Source: RSPB Advertisement

'I heard one of the mums say "why did you do that in front of my child?" and he said "it’s vermin, you should teach your children about vermin".

'I was like, "oh my god, that man has just tried to kill a seagull". I walked up to the gull and took a photo of it and then him.

'I said ‘why did you do that’ and he just shrugged his shoulders and walked away.'

Children were visibly shaken by the alleged attack with some even reduced to tears, Rachael claimed.

She was stunned and deeply angered and decided to confront the man. She said despite the blow, the seagull hadn’t been killed outright - but was later put down by a vet.

'The seagull wasn’t dead at first,' she said. 'We could see its eyes twitching. Thankfully a passerby came and took it to the vet. 'Seagulls are a problem but to kill a seagull like that is just wrong.'

Despite having run a business on the seafront for many years, Rachael said that it was the worst seagull incident she has seen.

She added: 'The problem has got worse this year but I’ve never seen anything like this before.'

This is the man who reportedly grabbed a seagull by its feet then swung it against a wall in Weston-super-Mare

An RSPCA spokesperson said: 'This is a shocking incident and a completely unacceptable way to treat an animal, it must have been very upsetting for witnesses to the attack.

'We are grateful to the members of the public who were able to get this gull to a vet so it did not have to suffer further. Anyone with information about this attack is urged to contact the RSPCA.'

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Constabulary said: 'A man was reported as having harmed a seagull in Regent Street, Weston-super-Mare, at about 5.50pm on Tuesday 17 July.

'He was described as being in his 60s, white, about 5ft 8ins tall and with greying hair. He was wearing pink shorts, a blue and pink checked shirt and brown sandals.

'Anyone with information about the incident can contact the RSPCA or get in touch with police.

'It is an offence to kill or harm a seagull under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.'