MY daughter and I were having a peaceful coffee in Weymouth.

The weather was not very friendly, but the café on the front was cheerful and we were thirsty.

With no warning, a large seagull swooped down past my daughter and stole half the contents on the plate just behind us.

The shocked customer shrieked, and we looked round to see the thief rise up and veer off.

It was a horrible attack to witness, and certainly not the first of its kind.

Who on earth had the idea that seagulls of the common types require protection? They are dangerous, greedy and frightening.

They could cause really serious damage, and are not the sort of memory that the Borough would like to be taken away as a memento of anyone’s stay.

My instinctive reaction was one of horror followed by revenge. What is the sentence awarded for conviction of avian retribution?

Helena M. Smith Dagmar Road Dorchester