A mechanic who was given a ‘shiner’ by a seagull whilst walking through Tenby described the experience of having his feathers ruffled by the bird as like being punched in the face!

Tom Russell, who works at Park Road Garage, said he was strolling through Tudor Square at lunchtime on Monday when the vicious gull flew into a rage and swooped at him, causing a nasty wound below his eye, as he didn’t have time to duck.

“I was walking along with my hands in my pockets, and all of a sudden I thought I’d been jumped by one of my mates messing around! I didn’t really know what had happened, but it felt like I’d been punched in the face, and then realised this seagull had literally flown at my face and knocked me over.

Tom said the attack was completely out of the blue, and even though he’d heard stories of people getting attacked in seaside resorts by hungry gulls, he explained that he wasn’t carrying any food at the time.

“I picked myself up and someone who saw the incident asked me if I was all right. If this was a five-year-old child, then it could have been much worse,” he added.