TOUGH action has been promised to clampdown on people leaving bin bags out in Helston – which are then ripped apart by the seagulls.
When rubbish is left out on Wednesday mornings, some streets are left littered with food waste and scraps after the flimsy plastic bags are torn up by the birds.
Helston Town Council is now threatening to call in Cornwall Council environmental health enforcement officers.
The councillors said the rubbish remained the responsibility of the householder until the bin men arrived. Black bags should be protected, either in a plastic dustbin, a seagull-proof cloth bag from Cornwall Council, or by throwing a blanket over the top.
Judith Carroll, who lives in Wendron Street, called on the town council to take action after the street was left littered once again. She said: "On a Wednesday morning, I walk out of my front door and I have rubbish on the right, rubbish across from me and rubbish down the street from me.
"I can't understand how people can be so uncivilised. I am ashamed to be part of this street that looks such a mess."
She said the bin men did a great job under the circumstances. Her comments were echoed by the town council, including Councillor Jonathan Radford-Gaby, who, as mayor last year, vowed to punish offenders. He said: "During my time as mayor, this was something quite high on my agenda."
He said he was appalled to watch the bin men on their hands and knees scooping up rubbish from burst bin bags.
"Bin bags left for the seagulls to split open is intensely antisocial. It's not hard to cover over rubbish with a blanket," he said. "To fling it out into the street with gay abandon, it's nothing short of disgraceful."
He added: "We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in this town."
Councillor Martine Knight said: "I think we've done our bit with leafleting and the time is upon us to contact Cornwall Council to take some swift action.
Councillor Ronnie Williams added: "The enforcement officers will not take this lightly. They will take the bag and go through it and find out where it came from."
The council agreed to write to Cornwall Council. Seagull-proof cloth bags are available to buy from Cornwall Council's Isaac House office.
