A grandad says angry 'snowflake' seaside locals demanded he never returns to the beach after admitting he tried to kick seagulls for stealing his ice cream. Peter Lloyd was on a day out at the seaside in Llandudno, Wales, with wife Rita Lloyd, 61, and seven-month-old grandson Stanley when he treated them to a double rum and raisin and toffee-flavoured ice cream.
The 58-year-old admits the shop assistant warned them to watch out for seagulls, but as soon as he took his first lick outside the shop a large seagull swooped down and snatched the £3.90 cone straight out of his hand. The factory worker says he charged after the bird while attempting to 'give it a kick' but it got away and sat down on the opposite side of the road tucking into his treat.
Dad-of-three Peter watched as the bird and its pals gobbled it down in front of him - leaving housewife Rita in stitches. It was only when they got home later that Peter realised in a bizarre case of life imitating art, he had been wearing a pink t-shirt featuring a seagull swiping someone's ice cream - emblazoned with the phrase 'the seagull has landed'.
Peter, who likened the close encounter to 'like something out of The Matrix', told residents on social media that he was the 'nutter trying to kick seagulls in the middle of the road' with many chuckling at the situation and the strange coincidence with the t-shirt.
However others called him 'cruel' and demanded he stays away from the seaside if he 'hates the wildlife'. Peter, from Flint, Wales, said: "I bought a double ice cream for me and Rita, the woman told me to be careful of the seagulls.
"I got to the crossing and there was one above me, Rita told me there was a shadow above me. I shooed it off and went to take a bite while we were waiting to cross the road. It was like something out of The Matrix, it happened in slow motion and its face was right in front of mine.
"I had the ice cream in my mouth and it crept forward and took the cone.
"It could have been my face or eye. There's nothing you can do, I had the ice cream in my mouth and it came down right in front of me.
"It landed in the road so I walked over and said 'you bloody b*stard' and tried to kick it.
"Rita was laughing her head off. About five dived down and ate it in front of me, it was gone in about 30 seconds.
"Rita ate hers fine and I went and got another and we stood under a canopy.
"When we got home, we told our son what had happened and as we were leaving, he pulled my t-shirt and started laughing saying 'look at your t-shirt, it's a seagull eating an ice cream'.
"We just started laughing. It's such a coincidence, we couldn't believe it.
"People on Facebook were kicking off saying I'm not an animal lover, tourists are idiots, people shouldn't eat in the open and I shouldn't go back to Llandudno.
"They said you shouldn't eat where they can attack you. Do they want all the food stalls to shut down so the town dies because holidaymakers won't go? Some people have gone mad."
Peter shared the incident on social media alongside a photo of his Weird Fish t-shirt, but was shocked when he was slammed by animal lovers for 'hating' wildlife.
But Peter shrugged off criticism by simply writing in reply 'SNOWFLAKES, LOL'.
Peter said: "People were saying seagulls are protected and I could get done. I never kicked the bloody thing, it flew off, I just thought it was funny."
Peter's Facebook post reads: "If you were in Llandudno yesterday and saw a nutter trying to kick seagulls in the middle of the road, that was me.
"It took my ice cream straight out of my mouth and this is the t-shirt I had on. How mad is that."
One commentor said: "Do not go to the seaside if you hate the wildlife. This is disgraceful. It's criminal."
Another wrote: "And what did you hope to achieve by kicking the seagull?"
A third added: "Just walk away. No need for revenge."
Another said: "So cruel."
A fourth wrote: "Big grown man kicking a small animal which is protected by law. Nothing to brag about. If you don't like them, don't go to the seaside and their behaviour is down to people chasing them and throwing objects at them including food."
Others revealed similar things had happened to them in Llandudno and described the birds as a 'nuisance' while some saw the funny side.
One wrote: "They're a damn nuisance that's for sure. I saw a woman getting attacked by them in Rhyl a couple of years back. It was horrendous. No way you can eat outdoors with them."
Another commented: "My 26-year-old daughter has never forgiven the seagulls in Llandudno for nicking her ice cream. She's also not forgiven me for laughing."
Another wrote: "Should have put on the t-shirt instead 'seagulls do not land here'."
A fourth commented: "Got to love them. They nicked my chicken bake out of my hand last year then came back to rob my coffee."
