A leading animal charity has warned people to not 'rescue' baby birds on the ground - in case they get attacked by seagulls.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds wants people to leave any baby birds they see alone, because they may be interfering with them flying the nest - and could get attacked by overprotective parents.

Spring and Summer are when freshly hatched birds are taking their first tentative steps away from the nests.

The RSPB in Kent are urging people to allow nature to take its course, and leave the apparently 'lost' birds alone - as an angry seagull could easily take out a person's eye or cause other serious injuries.

Seagull parents are notoriously protective of their young, and have been known to dive-bomb anyone straying too close to their chicks across the coastal towns.

A grandmother from Herne Bay was even forced to wear a colander on her head

to protect herself from seagull attacks in her garden.

Kent RSPB spokesman Martin Jensen said: "Herring gulls take parenting very seriously - whether they are on an underpopulated coastal island or in a town or city around the extensive Kent coastline."

He added: "Defending their nest and their young is part of their DNA.

"On a coastal island, if a crow or a great black-backed gull tries to steal and eat an egg or chick, it will be repelled with all the parent gull's strength and other gulls will come to assist.

"It is no different in the towns and cities of Kent.

"If the gulls believe their eggs or young are in danger, they understandably become very protective and can be aggressive in defense of their young."

If a stranded baby bird is un-feathered and has fallen from a nest by accident, it may be possible to put it back.

Mr Jensen said: "Only do this if you are sure which nest the chick came from, and if it appears strong and healthy.

"Sometimes parent birds sense that there is something wrong with one of their chicks, or that it is dying, and they will eject it out of the nest so they can concentrate on looking after the healthy ones.

"If a healthy chick cannot be returned to its nest, it will be dependent on humans for survival, and should be passed on to an expert rehabilitator as soon as possible."