Sorry, this video asset has been removed.

Find out more about 'owl'
the plan worked

by Graham Tutthill

A "parliament" of long-eared owls have been installed
on the roof of Dover Discovery Centre, to try to scare
the gulls away.

A series of owl statues have been placed around the roof as the
latest weapon in the fight to keep the gulls off.

Seagulls, or herring gulls as they are more correctly called,
cause all sorts of problems around Dover.

As well as leaving their mark on buildings, cars and, sometimes,
people, they rip open rubbish sacks and leave their contents strewn
across the streets.

But has the ruse been successful? Not entirely, according to the
powers that be.

The gulls seem to have got wise and are ignoring the
statues.

In other words, they don’t give two hoots.