There are no plans to protect rubbish bags from gulls, says the district council.

Sarah Smith, Liberal Democrat prospective Parliamentary candidate for Dover, has written to the council to urge that it starts using gull-proof bin bags to tackle the problem of waste across the town.

She said: “Every bin day is a feast day for Dover’s seagulls but there is a simple solution.

“On Thursdays, streets in Dover are strewn with litter by the birds, who easily tear open the bin bags distributed to residents by the council. It looks terrible, and it doesn’t have to be like this, there is a simple solution: seagull-proof bags.”

Mrs Smith explained that Thanet District Council had introduced these rubbish bags and felt that Dover should, too.

She added: “I have written to Dover District Council asking them whether seagull-proof bin bags can be introduced for the coastal parts of the district.

“It is a small step that would make a big difference to keeping our towns looking clean and tidy.”

However, the district council has responded by saying it has no intention of using the gull-proof bin bags.

A district council spokesman said: “We are not currently considering the use of seagull-proof refuse bags as most of the households in the district have wheeled bins, and food waste should be contained in food caddies.”