A football pitch on the Channel Island of Guernsey was rendered unplayable in 2010 – by seagulls. The Blanche Pierre Lane pitch was torn up by aerial vandals and out of action for weeks. The turf at the St Martin’s AC’s ground had been pulled up by seagulls digging for worms, large areas needed returfing and St Martin’s games had to be played elsewhere. Meanwhile, the club protected what little of the field was left untouched with mannequins, normally used for training, acting as scarecrows. The explanation for the bird attack was that the water table was high and the worms near the surface. The seagulls paddled their feet up and down to tease the worms out and damaged the grass at the same time.
