Signs warning people not to throw bread into the Memorial Park lake will be put up in a bid to stop lethal seagull attacks on ducklings.

Residents who visit the pond to feed the ducks have seen the gulls attacking the tiny birds to get at the bread thrown to them.

The council is now going to install notices at the site warning of the dangers that dropping crusts in the lake poses to ducks.

Town councillor Andrew Cook (Con), who first called for the notices last year, welcomed the news.

“I counted 32 ducklings last year, but only one survived,” he said.

“I personally saw two being consumed by seagulls and the gardener in the park has seen it happen as well.

“If people used seed to feed the birds instead, you would still inevitably lose a couple of ducklings, but it would be a lot fewer as the seagulls would not be attracted by the bread.

“Putting bread in the pond creates all sorts of problems for the ducks and the pond itself.”

Cllr Cook, who represents the Heron ward, says the signs have been successful at Mote Park in Maidstone.

“We have just got to make sure the signs are in the right place,” he added.

“If we could break the sequence of seagulls going to the lake to eat, that would be the answer.

“I am pleased about it as we have got to stop people feeding them bread.”

City council spokesman Rob Davies says the signs will be installed soon.

“We are going to be putting new signs up at the lake encouraging responsible feeding of ducks,” he said.

“These will be going up in the next few weeks on new posts and on railings.”