Panic as 'apocalyptic' swarm of 9,000 angry seagulls could invade town and cause chaos

Angry locals are close to "breaking point" over the swarms of descending on the town. Flocking to the , residents fear up to 9,000 of the birds could soon take over the area as breeding season is approaching. The gulls cause destruction to the Whinney Hill tip near Altham, close to Blackburn, Lancashire. The noise, potent smells and havoc caused by the swarms have left nearby neighbours at boiling point as they demand the site closes.

A protest meeting of more than 50 furious locals on April 5 saw the group gather at Church Lane, Clayton-le-Moors. They all demanded the 205 acre site shuts down to solve the seagull issue the town faces. More than 3,000 of the birds have been seen flying around the sky above the tip, even though it's located 30 miles from the sea. This figure, due to the , is expected to triple by the end of the month.

The Altham site is operated by SUEZ Recycling and Recovery who have said it is "actively working to deter the seagulls".

The protest has taken to social media too, with a campaign group named Tipped Over The Edge set up on Facebook. The page's admin, Gary Hough, told the Sun: "This is an unacceptable situation, and we refuse to tolerate it any longer. As we enter the gull breeding season, we anticipate their numbers will triple by April or May, far beyond the already unbearable levels."

Mr Hough, 62, explained how the situation has been bad for over a year, "and it's only getting worse".

"The relentless noise, mess, and disruption caused by these birds are having a devastating effect on people's health, wellbeing, and their fundamental right to enjoy their homes," he added.

Last month, Hyndburn Borough Council passed a motion calling for urgent action on the impact of the site. The council's deputy leader Councillor Noordad Aziz said: "A temporary closure is the only solution because the health and well-being of people is paramount."

A spokesperson for SUEZ said: "Our site is regulated by the Environment Agency, and we have an active environmental management system in place to manage any odour or pests which we keep under constant review."

They added: "We are a responsible operator and recognise the inconvenience the birds cause when they are here.

"We respect the right to peaceful protest, and we will continue to engage with representatives of the local community on their concerns."

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: "We're taking action to ensure the operator, Suez, addresses issues at Whinney Hill landfill site and recognise the distress that odour and gulls are causing to members of the community.

"We will continue to carry out regulatory inspections and keep working with Suez to ensure the site is compliant with its environmental permit."

The Daily Express has contacted Hyndburn Council for comment.