Football club threatens to remove fans from games if they feed seagulls

A football club has told fans not to feed seagulls around its ground and warned that anyone caught doing so will be removed.

Scottish Championship side Queen of the South said on Friday that some spectators have been "deliberately throwing food to attract the seagulls into the crowded areas".

A tweet from the Dumfries-based club encouraged fans to instead use bins provided around the 8,690-capacity Palmerston Park.

The Doonhamers begin their league campaign at home to Dunfermline Athletic on Saturday and the club warned seagull waste could cause injuries.

A statement on the club website said: "We are aware that some spectators at the earlier Betfred League Cup matches at Palmerston were deliberately throwing food to attract the seagulls into the crowded areas.

"We are concerned about the potential for spectators or other personnel to suffer injury or fouling from seagull waste.

"Therefore as we prepare to host Dunfermline in the Championship tomorrow, we are asking supporters to please refrain from doing this again.

"Stewards have been instructed that should this type of deliberate behaviour be observed at the match, those responsible will be immediately removed from the ground.

"Your co-operation would be greatly appreciated."

It comes after a similar statement from the club last month at the start of the Betfred Cup fixtures.

After playing Motherwell at the ground on July 13, Queens said it was "well aware of the issues" and admitted efforts to eradicate the seagull problem was "pretty much an impossible task".

Previous efforts to stave off seagulls have included playing birds of prey noises over the sound system.