ANIMAL rescue organisations are urging people to think twice before intervening with young gulls this summer, warning that many birds taken into care do not actually need help.

The RSPCA, Scottish SPCA and British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council say thousands of gulls are brought into rescue centres every year, with many cases involving healthy chicks or fledglings that have simply left the nest as part of learning to fly.

The organisations say well-meaning members of the public often mistake this normal stage of development for abandonment, even though parent birds are usually nearby and continue to feed and protect their young.

RSPCA wildlife rescue expert Verity Miles said: “Each summer, our wildlife centres see a surge in young gulls being brought in by kind members of the public.

“Gulls are such underappreciated animals, so it’s amazing so many people want to help them. However, in many cases these birds have not been abandoned, but have left the nest as they learn to fly. This is a normal part of their development.

“Their parents will usually remain nearby and continue to feed and protect them, but sadly many well-meaning passers-by will mistake this for abandonment.”

The warning comes as rescue teams prepare for the peak breeding season, when calls about gulls rise sharply.

Sean Meechan, Wildlife Operations Lead at the Scottish SPCA, said officers attend thousands of gull-related calls every year, particularly in early summer.

He said: “While some situations do require intervention, the majority involve healthy birds that are best left alone.”

Experts say removing a healthy chick or fledgling can cause stress and reduce its chances of survival. They also warn that disturbing or taking gulls, eggs or nests can be an offence unless there is a genuine need to intervene.

Paul Reynolds, Chair of the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, said: “Taking a healthy chick or fledgling away from their parents can cause stress to the young bird and significantly reduce their chance of survival.

“Not only that, but it is also an offence to disturb, or take gulls or eggs from their nests, unless absolutely necessary, so you may inadvertently be breaking the law by bringing in gulls that are not sick or injured.”

The RSPCA says it has cared for nearly 4,000 gulls in its wildlife centres over the past five years, with admissions peaking in June. More than half involved young birds believed to be orphaned or grounded.

The Scottish SPCA attended more than 11,000 gull-related incidents over the same period.

The organisations say the public should leave uninjured young gulls where they are so their parents can continue to feed them. Very young chicks in immediate danger can be moved carefully to a nearby safe, elevated spot if possible.

People should only intervene if a bird is clearly sick or injured.

Anyone who finds an injured baby gull is advised to contact a vet or reputable wildlife rehabilitator. Injured adult gulls can be reported to the RSPCA in England and Wales, or the Scottish SPCA in Scotland.

Rescue organisations also warn that unnecessary handling and higher numbers of birds in care can increase the risk of disease transmission, including avian influenza.

Sean Meechan added: “The Scottish Government advises against handling gulls. If you’re concerned, the best course of action is to contact us and we can assess the situation.”

WELSH legal and housing advice charities are to receive funding from a £3.9 million grants programme using unclaimed money from a major class action case.

The Access to Justice Foundation has announced the recipients of its Improving Lives Through Advice 2026 programme, which will support 16 organisations across the UK over three years.

The money comes from unclaimed settlement funds from the Gutmann v SW Trains case, also known as the Boundary Fare class action.

In Wales, the organisations named include Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent, Cyngor ar Bopeth Powys Citizens Advice, Speakeasy Law Centre, also known as South Wales Law Centre, and Shelter Cymru.

The foundation said the funding is being directed to areas where class members were based and where access to free legal advice is most needed.

Although no Pembrokeshire organisation is named directly, the funding is likely to support services used by people across Wales, including those facing housing problems, debt, benefits issues, consumer disputes and difficulties accessing legal advice.

Clare Carter, chief executive of the Access to Justice Foundation, said: “Unclaimed funds from collective actions represent a significant opportunity to strengthen access to justice.

“These organisations are the first point of call for people to understand and enforce their rights. This grant round will ensure that the outcomes of collective actions are felt by consumers across the UK.”

The foundation said the programme had been heavily oversubscribed, with 315 applications seeking more than £70 million in support.

It said the level of demand showed the pressure facing free legal advice services, with many charities now acting as the first and only place people can turn when trying to enforce their rights.

The Access to Justice Foundation said more than two thirds of adults in England and Wales face a legal problem each year, while more than 11 million people do not get help to resolve their legal issues.

The grants programme is the first in the UK to redistribute unclaimed class action money in this way.

PASSENGERS in Wales and the West of England are seeing fewer train cancellations and slightly better punctuality following action by the rail regulator.

The Office of Rail and Road has formally closed enforcement action against Network Rail after monitoring a long-term performance improvement plan for its Wales and Western region.

The plan followed an investigation in 2024, which found that Network Rail’s infrastructure and working practices were contributing to poor train performance across the region.

Since August 2024, Network Rail says cancellations have fallen by more than a fifth, while the proportion of trains arriving within three minutes of their scheduled time has improved from 77.6% to 79.4%.

The improvements followed work on track, overhead line equipment, axle counters and points in the Thames Valley area, as well as flood resilience work at Chipping Sodbury.

Network Rail has also introduced welfare officers at key Thames Valley stations to help prevent trespass and has made changes to train control, timetable planning, incident learning and the management of stranded trains.

Graham Richards, Director of Planning and Performance at the Office of Rail and Road, said: “Following concerted efforts from Network Rail, and continued engagement by our teams at ORR, I am pleased to see that passengers in Wales and Western are experiencing better, more reliable train services.

“Nevertheless, we know that for many passengers train performance is not what they would expect – so we are continuing to work with train operators and Network Rail across the country on how to further improve performance.”

Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Managing Director for Wales and Western Region, said: “Customers are seeing a more reliable railway, reflecting the extensive improvements we’ve delivered over the last two years.

“We know delays and cancellations still impact journeys, so while this progress is a positive step, we continue to work closely with our industry partners to deliver an ever more reliable railway for our customers.”