My wife and I were shocked this afternoon at about 4.20pm to see a lone driver deliberately accelerate their car and hit a young seagull crossing Sidmouth High Street by the junction with Connaught Road.

The result was one very shocked young gull with a broken wing after coming into contact with the car’s front bumper.

My wife, with the help of a kindly bystander picked up the young gull and placed it in a box until the RSPCA arrived.

We learned later that the rescue centre had to put the young gull down.

If the driver is reading this we would like to point out the suffering they have caused to this poor young animal, and the time and resources taken up by the RSPCA – not to mention the fact that to wilfully cause needless harm to an animal is a criminal offence.

Robin Farrant

(via email)