Postmen refuse to deliver to quiet cul-de-sac - after attacks from dive-bombing SEAGULLS

Last week it emerged that the Royal Mail refused to deliver to a pensioner because of his 'aggressive' raspberry bush - and now it appears posties are facing a threat of the feathered variety.

Postal workers are refusing to deliver to a cul-de-sac in Cornwall because they are coming under attack from dive-bombing seagulls.

Officials at Royal Mail said petrified posties have been injured by the swooping birds, dive-bombing and pecking at their heads.

It is thought the gulls are launching their aerial onslaughts to protect nests - and are being made even angrier by the postal workers' brightly-coloured uniforms.

Royal Mail has now ruled the gulls are a health and safety risk and have told residents at Liskey Hill Crescent, Perranporth, Cornwall, to collect their letters from a nearby post office.

But homeowners say they have had to put up with the seagull blitz themselves for years and want mail staff to 'man up' and start delivering again.

Jackie Bray, 67, who has lived on the crescent for 35 years, said: 'It’s a service that we pay for, a service we are not getting. We have to put up with the seagulls so why can’t they? They should man up, buy a hard helmet and deal with it.'

Royal Mail declared the street off-limits after a postwoman came under repeated attack from the birds.

The gulls have pecked parents, children, dog walkers and builders but locals say nothing has ever been done about it.

Long-time resident Eric Hardinge, 67, said: 'In the past five years the seagulls have become more aggressive.

'They are protecting their chicks and attack people in packs, swooping down, targeting people’s heads.

'They go berserk when they see bright colours which is why I think they’ve gone for the postwoman because she wears red.

[Pictures: 'Aggressive' raspberry bush causes postmen problems]

'The chicks will disappear but it is an on-going problem. The birds need to be culled.'

In a letter to residents delivery office manager Andy Blight said the service would resume once the chicks have moved on or if they are removed by an authorised person.

Royal Mail apologised to customers but said the seagull attacks mean posties were facing a serious risk of injury.

Spokeswoman Val Bodden said: 'The safety of our people is paramount and these swooping attacks have made it difficult for her to continue to do her job.

'These kinds of attacks do occur at this time of year across the country, as gulls are nesting.

'We apologise to those customers affected and we will resume deliveries as soon as it is safe for us to do so. We are continuing to monitor the situation.'

Last year Royal Mail suspended deliveries to one suburban cul-de-sac in Chippenham, Wiltshire, because of a flea infestation.

Colleagues refused to deliver to another street in Bournemouth, Dorset, last May after complaining it was overrun with midges from a water treatment plant.