Kirkcaldy residents are being urged not to feed gulls after a number of reported attacks.
The birds have long been a problem in the town, especially in the summer during their nesting season from June and July.
Kirkcaldy High Street is a hot spot for the gulls, which swoop on shoppers and steal their food.
Debbie Clarke, who was recently attacked by a gull, said, “I was walking along minding my own business, with a ham salad sandwich in my hand that I had just bought from the bakers, when suddenly out of nowhere this huge seagull swooped in over my shoulder and wrestled it out of my hand.
“It flew off with it leaving me in shock that it had come so close. I was pretty shaken up afterwards, as well as annoyed that a sneaky seagull had managed to steal my lunch.”
Another woman said, “The problem really is getting out of hand. From my living room window I can see down to the High Street and every day when I look out someone is being attacked by a greedy seagull stealing food right out of their hand.
“No sandwich is safe in the High Street that’s for sure and I for one certainly wouldn’t take the risk of walking about unarmed with a roll or a pasty for fear of being swooped upon.”
In a bid to address the problem, Fife Council’s environmental department have put up signs and posters urging people not to feed the gulls and have published an advice leaflet which is available from local libraries and council offices.
Team leader Elaine Devine said July was the worst month for gull attacks, but that legally the local authority is not obliged to take any action as the gulls are a protected species.
“The main thing we emphasise is that they should not be fed, because then they learn to associate humans as sources of food,” she said.
Gulls are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 though licences are issued allowing landowners or occupiers to kill certain species or destroy their nests and eggs in order to prevent serious damage to agriculture, preserve public health or air safety or to conserve other wild birds.
Even in these circumstances, however, it is illegal to do anything that will cause suffering to gulls. It is also against the law to disturb or remove nests or eggs during the breeding season.