A vicar has been forced to start wearing a hard hat to church after being attacked by a pair of “dive bombing” seagulls in the graveyard.

The birds have nested at St Petroc’s in Bodmin, Cornwall, and it is thought they are trying to protect their chick.

Their behaviour has caused complaints but the Reverend Canon Graham Minors said they should be protected.

He said they were “God’s creatures” and would probably calm down once the fledgling leaves the nest.

The birds started attacking people walking through the graveyard about two weeks ago.

Mr Minors said: “It is frightening because the first thing you feel is a rush of wind as the birds come in.

Full article from the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7511088.stm