Gull rescued after 48 hours trapped in Worcester netting

The bird was stuck on top of the HSBC building in Worcester

A seagull which was trapped for nearly 48 hours in netting has been rescued.

Residents raised concerns for the bird which was was seen struggling above HSBC on Broad Street, in Worcester, on Tuesday.

The injured bird was brought down by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews at 15:27 BST on Thursday.

Animal charity the RSPCA, which has taken on the care of the bird, said it highlighted an issue with the use of bird netting on buildings.

HSBC said it had been alerted to the stuck gull on Wednesday, it had been rescued on Thursday and was now in the care of the RSPCA.

Worcester is home to a significant population of gulls which create problems around noise, attacks and mess.

'Really common'

The city council has tried a number of methods to target gulls, but none have significantly reduced the gull population or resolved the issues.

One resident, whose home looks out on to the scene, said although she appreciated the birds could be a "real nuisance" it had been "really, really awful" to see the bird trapped.

Evie Button, a scientific officer with the RSPCA, said birds could cause themselves more damage by struggling to free themselves from netting.

"We get hundreds of calls each year about birds that have become trapped in netting just like this and it is really common unfortunately for it to be pigeons and gulls."

She said bird-deterrent netting could be effective if maintained properly.