A disoriented seagull that had taken up residence in an Asda store was finally rescued by a local bird welfare charity after 16 days.

The young gull wandered into the store in Bedminster, Birstol, earlier this month, found its way to the clothing section and then couldn’t find its way out.

After more than two weeks trapped in the store, where it survived by stealing food and avoiding capture, the news of the trapped bird gained notoriety and the Foundation For Feathered Friends, a national bird welfare organisation, decided to step in and offer their help.

Despite Asda staff and hired contractors’ efforts, the bird proved elusive, so the foundation’s local volunteers were allowed to intervene after the store’s closure at 10pm.

After many hours of pursuit, the volunteer team, led by Amandine Cook, successfully cornered and captured the exhausted seagull.

She said of the dramatic rescue: “We finally went for plan B, which was to chase her all around the shop banging on the ceiling and the railings etc. This was so she became so exhausted that she would fly to escape from one section to another, and she would go down and then we would have an opportunity to grab her

The bird finally descended to the clothing section, where one of the volunteers managed to corner her.

Amandine said: “She flew down at some point by the clothes section and one of us managed to catch her in a corner with their arms. At this point she was so tired she barely opposed or resisted.”

The seagull is currently recovering at a local veterinary clinic. She’s underweight and has a few minor injuries but is otherwise in good health.

After a period of rehabilitation to regain her strength, the aim is to release her back into the wild, the foundation confirmed.

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