I have to respond to George Marshall's letter in which he says Brighton and Hove City Council should take action to reduce the city's seagull population.

I disagree wholeheartedly with him and I would like to point out that our seagulls don't just keep on increasing in numbers every year. Each year many of our seagulls die. Their worst enemy is road traffic.

I recently talked to four classes of primary school children about seagulls and I was amazed how many had seen gulls run over. Some of the children were quite upset because they had been in the car when one of their parents had run a seagull down.

Mr Marshall says gulls raid refuse bags and litter the streets. This is old news.

What may not be so well known is that the food the gulls eat from old refuse is often their last meal. Mouldy food is another seagull killer, causing botulism. Many die this way.

Finally, air rifle attacks kill many of our gulls. When all the deaths are totalled from these three types of threat, our seagull numbers drop.

I have only admiration for herring gulls. They are wonderful aviators, excellent parents and highly intelligent.

I am happy to live alongside them.

-Gloria Wheatcroft, Hove