Blackpool Zoo advertises for volunteers to scare off seagulls

Image source, Blackpool Zoo

Image caption, Blackpool Zoo said the successful candidates would have to be comfortable wearing bird costumes

Ever had your ice cream or fish and chips nicked by a seagull swooping in for their tea?

Keen to avoid such soul-destroying food theft, one zoo in the UK is looking for people to get dressed up in bird costumes and scare the gulls away.

Blackpool Zoo in Lancashire put up the advert after bosses said the birds had been persistently stealing food from visitors and animal enclosures.

People who get hired will be titled "seagull deterrents", and will be part of the visitor services team.

Image source, mtreasure / getty

Image caption, Gulls live near busy British beaches because there's an abundance of food and little to no predators

The advert reads: "At Blackpool Zoo it goes without saying that we love all animals. And as a seaside resort, Blackpool is not short of seagulls.

"However, the seagulls are proving to be a bit of a nuisance when it comes to trying to steal food from our visitors and our animal enclosures.

Image source, vandervelden / getty

Image caption, Raise your hand if you've ever been personally victimised by a seagull

"We need to do what we can to keep the seagulls away from our main visitor dining areas."

The zoo are looking for people who are "outgoing" and "comfortable wearing a bird costume".

We're interested to 'sea' who applies for the role!