Chihuahua killed by flock of seagulls in Devon

The puppy's owner, Nikki Wayne, said she wanted other dog lovers to be aware of the potential danger posed by gulls

File photo (Corbis)

A Chihuahua puppy was killed by a flock of seagulls in Devon, its owner has revealed.

Nikki Wayne told The Daily Telegraph that she had tried to keep Bella, her “really playful puppy”, inside because of the threat from the gulls.

However the dog slipped out when she left the door open and was killed before she could flee back into the house in Honiton.

Ms Wayne, 57, originally from Canada, said she wanted other dog owners to be aware of the potential danger.

Seagulls 'will eat anything,' an RSPB spokesman said (Getty) (Getty Images)

Before the attack, she would accompany Bella in the garden but the birds were aggressive despite her presence.

“I got really worried about it. They started to swoop down to my face level, brushing me,” she said.

Tony Whitehead, West Country spokesman for the RSPB, said: “It’s obviously no consolation to the owners, but this is a rare occurrence. This isn’t by any means typical behaviour of gulls.”

Speaking about the reasons behind the attack, he said: “Around this time of year they tend to get very territorial as they are nesting.”

But he also added: “Gulls are great scavengers. They will eat anything.”