Pictured: The moment an unsuspecting shopper is attacked by a hungry seagull



This is the moment a terrified shopper is attacked by a hungry seagull

Swooping from the skies to steal a sandwich the opportunist seagull seized its chance with this passer-by.

It then flew off to enjoy the sandwich on a ledge high above the street in the seaside town of South Shields.



In for the kill: The greedy seagull swoops down on its victim and steals the sandwich

The 27-year-old victim, from Northumberland, said: 'I jumped out of my skin. All I was doing was trying to eat my sandwich and I get attacked by a giant seagull.



'It was quite scary - I had no idea they were so ruthless. It was like that Alfred Hitchcock film, The Birds.'

She is not the only one to fall prey to the greedy birds- several shoppers in the King Street area have been terrorised by the flock of seagulls who take no prisoners in their quest for food.



Unsuspecting: The shopper goes innocently about her business unaware the seagull has its sights on her lunch

Shock: The terrified shopper drops her sandwich in horror

Another shopper Maisie Harrison, 68, from Whiteleas, said: 'These seagulls are so desperate for food it seems they'll approach people to take food rather than fight for scraps on the floor.'



Catriona Campbell, 19, a sales assistant at Stead and Simpson, a shoe shop on King Street, said: 'They are horrible. I once saw one land on a man's head. It just reached over and grabbed his pasty out of his hand then flew off.

'It happens all the time. It's because people don't dispose of their left over food properly and the seagulls take advantage of an easy meal.'

Victorious: A greedy seagull makes off with its catch

Wendy Balback, 20, a sales assistant at Ethel Austin, round the corner on Queen Street, said: 'We have one seagull who pecks on our glass windows to torment us.

'We call him Billy No Mates because he's always on his own.



'If the shop door is open, he walks in when we aren't looking. We have to chase him out.'

A council Spokesman said: 'Seagulls are opportunistic birds that at this time of the year have the additional responsibility of feeding their young.

'While the council has in the past spent money on proofing some of the buildings in King Street to prevent birds from nesting and has also placed signage within this area advising members of the public not to feed birds, we cannot guarantee that this sort of incident will not occur occasionally.'