Residents of Oxford Road in Calne are calling for action over hundreds of seagulls causing major disruption to their lives.

The problems came to a head during the summer when the noise, in the small hours of the morning and early evening, and mess from the birds reached its peak.

Mike Allenden, 62, of Oxford Road said: “I would like to see every seagull exterminated. There’s going to be a massive problem if they don’t deal with them.

“What I would like to see is someone to say ‘we are responsible for it’ and then someone to deal with it.

“The impact on our lives has been devastating – my wife says she wants to move.”

Mr Allenden, who is self-employed and works at home, said he was unwilling to go out into his garden with his dogs due to the mess and smell there. Seagulls are protected from culling by law.

Calne town councillor Tony Trotman said: “Although it is a nuisance for those that live close to the route of gulls travelling to and from roosting areas and the waste tip sites in the immediate area, it is difficult to arrive at a solution.

“In contacting Wiltshire Council’s environmental team it seems the only way of helping the residents is to recognise where the gulls roost at nightfall and, if a great number appear perhaps on a factory roof in Porte Marsh Trading Estate, advise that company to invest in proofing nets or spikes fitted to stop the gulls.

“The companies may not be troubled themselves, but it would be good practice for those companies to protect their buildings that get polluted, and so help the residents who have suffered day and night for some years.”

Tony Whitehead, spokesman for the RSPB in the South West, said: “We know that gulls can be rather unpopular. However, they are here to stay so we need to learn how to share our towns and cities with them.

“One way we can do this is by reducing conflict, which invariably comes when the gulls discover humans are a rich source of free food.

“Many councils understand this, and are working hard to ensure food waste is dealt without it becoming a free meal.

“The public can help by making sure they don’t feed gulls, or leave food waste lying around.”