A gran was left with blood gushing from her head after a crazed seagull swooped down and clawed her as she walked home.

Brenda Thrumble, from Broadstairs, says she resembled "something from a Freddy Krueger film" as a result of the vicious attack.

The 66-year-old fell victim to the angry bird - thought to have been protecting its young - on Wednesday afternoon as she made her way along Livingston Road in St Peters.

Caught off guard, Mrs Thrumble was forced to hide behind a bush in order to escape the gull's wrath.

"I was minding my own business when suddenly something went for my head," the mum-of-three said.

"It came at me from behind so there was no way of expecting anything - it just went 'whack' on my head.

"I put my hand on my head and blood was coming out profusely. I thought 'oh my gosh' that's a lot.

"It had instantly drawn blood - it went at me with its claws rather than beak.

"I looked like something from a Freddy Krueger film. Blood was pouring out, down my face, top and onto my toes.

"It was a right old nightmare and not a good experience to have."

Mrs Thrumble, who lives in Warren Drive, took cover behind an overhanging hedge before being escorted to safety by a neighbour wearing a motorbike helmet.

"I was frightened to move, and afraid of it coming at me again," she recalled.

"A nice man called Aaron came to help me and walked with me to his house. He was wearing a helmet and we got there without the seagull attacking."

After reaching safety, Mrs Thrumble was assessed by paramedics and her head wound was cleaned.

"There were lots of little holes where it had clawed at me, so there wasn't one big gash," she said.

Mrs Thumble says she will now be "very cautious" around seagulls.

"It's hard to say to people to be careful as it came at me from behind," she said.

"So there was no warning, and it's just a total surprise. I wasn't wearing any brightly coloured clothes and was just walking down the road.

"I presume the seagull was protecting its young, but I couldn't see one anywhere.

"I know residents around there have been plagued by them. I'd be nervous of what it could do to a dog or to little children.

"I decided to cut down Livingstone Road on the way home rather than going along the busier high street, but I won't be doing that again!

"I'm happy to have lived to tell the tale."

Mrs Thrumble did not require stitches for her head injuries, but is in need of a tetanus jab.

Due to a two-week wait at her surgery, she is instead set to spend £35 for a jab at a pharmacy.

Why do seagulls attack?

According to the RSPCA, gulls that swoop are usually trying to protect chicks that have fallen out of or left the nest.

"They'll stop when the person or animal has moved away from their young," the animal charity says.

"This behaviour usually only lasts for a few weeks until the chicks have fledged and are able to protect themselves."

If you see a nest or chick on the ground and can't avoid walking close by, then "holding an open umbrella above your head will help deter the parents from swooping".

The RPSCA argues culls should only be considered if there's a serious problem and non-lethal means are ineffective or impractical.

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, gulls can't be killed unless they're being controlled under the terms of licences issued by Natural England or Natural Resources Wales.

According to the RSPCA, controlling gulls under licence can only be done for specific reasons - for example to protect public health and safety.

"However, it remains illegal to do anything that will cause unnecessary suffering to the birds and the conditions specified on each licence must be followed," the charity adds.