COUNCILLORS are determined that a problem with people in part of Cowdenbeath being harassed by seagulls should be tackled.

Indeed, the issue was the subject of a notice of motion at Wednesday's Area Committee meeting when the problems of Craigbeath Court residents were tabled.

During the nesting season especially people find themselves under attack from gulls.

Cowdenbeath and Kelty councillors, Gary Guichan and Alex Campbell, put forward the motion under the following terms: "The nuisance caused, and the risk posed by seagulls, is real and apparently growing.

"It has been a highlighted in several areas of Fife and Kirkcaldy Area Committee are conducting a trial through the local Bid company Kirkcaldy 4 All which involves removing eggs and destroying nests.

"There have been several approaches from residents of Craigbeath Court, Cowdenbeath, concerning the dangers caused by seagulls in that area.

"We ask that Cowdenbeath Area Committee agrees to commission a feasibility study into ways of tackling this issue in Craigbeath Court and provide a cost for such a programme."

Councillor Guichan told the Committee: "It would seem the positioning of Beath High and Foulford Primary schools are a factor in this with the availability of items of food and I have been approached by several residents of the street about problems with gulls.

"It is causing real concern for people so I feel it is something that we should be tackling."

Councillor Alistair Bain said that one of the ideas being used in Kirkcaldy involves the use of dummy eggs.

He added: "It would seem that a dummy egg is placed in the nest and the gulls become confused by its presence and move on therefore taking the problem with them.

"I feel we could try this and see if it works. If it does not work well for us then we could look at some other way of working this out but it seemed to be something that made a real difference in Kirkcaldy."

Councillors Guichan and Campbell agreed that it was worth giving the idea a go and the committee decided to try it.