If you are reading this in the daylight, take a look out of your window to see what has been deposited outside.

If, like me, you have noticed the increase in seagulls of late, you will be lucky if you can first of all see out of your window, due to the mess they have left behind.

And, if this isn’t bad enough, your car, like mine, may have been covered with seagull poo.

I’m not talking about the odd splat, I’m talking about the whole car being covered in white mess.

The car seems to have been dive-bombed by seagulls who have used it for target practice.

I went to take refuge in the garden, only to find the seagulls had arrived before me and the garden furniture, patio and conservatory have been covered as well.

Thinking that a flock of unruly seagulls had targeted me, I checked with several others in the street and further afield and it seems many of us are having the same problem.

The odd splat, you can put up with. Lately, however, things seem to be getting out of hand.

Seagulls are waging war on anyone breathing in the same area as them, as they perceive you as a threat to their chicks and will think nothing of dive-bombing.

As you may know, seagulls are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 – and, get this, herring gulls have suffered a 50 per cent decline over the past 30 years.

Mmm...maybe so, but not, it appears, in our part of Renfrewshire.

So, what can we do about it?

Well, it seems that bird netting can be a deterrent and, I am told, a ‘daddy long legs’ system is very effective, as it has stainless steel wires that bounce when the birds come into contact with it.

But, if that seems a step too far, you could consider walking with an umbrella up – and ignore the folk who are laughing at you.

Other solutions include using gull-proof bins and, if eating outside, eat next to a wall or stand under an awning.

Mind how you go...