A woman who befriended a wild seagull feels betrayed after the bird attacked her face and trashed her home.
Hayley Binnington even caught the moment the treacherous creature started wrecking her apartment and nipped her nose on camera.
The animal lover heard a 'crash' coming from the balcony of her Worthing, West Sussex, flat - and knew right away that seagull bestie Bernie was the cause.
The unemployed 41-year-old immediately started filming the gull's rampage, as her buddy proceeded to 'regurgitate crabs' on the floor, knocking over several ornaments in his excitement after catching a whiff of potato wedges.
To end the chaos, Hayley attempted to pick up the boisterous bird, which quickly backfired when she tried to pose for the camera with the creature but he bit her nose.
After 'throwing him out of the window' on October 29, Hayley realised that he had also smashed out one of her tooth veneers in the battle, which she had to superglue back on.
The self-proclaimed 'crazy animal feeder' has been left with a painful nasal injury as the seagull left a 'bloody and scabby snip' across her nose.
After sharing the bedlam on TikTok, some commenters suggested Hayley shouldn't have tried to hold Bernie in the way she did as he's 'a seagull not a pet cat' - and pointed out that he could have pecked her 'eye out'.
Hayley said: "I knew what [the noise] was straight away - it's happened loads of times.
"I just think it's funny. I'm a pretty chilled out person - if I was any more chilled, I'd be in a coma. I really just don't care.
"Because he was in my hand, I decided to give him a cuddle before I let him go, but he pecked me. I think he was annoyed because he wanted the [potato] wedges.
"He bit my nose; I threw him out the window and suddenly my veneer was in my mouth! I was like, 'oh no, what's happened?'
"I've had to book a dentist appointment, but I've got some superglue for now to try and stick it back on. He really, really hurt my nose. I've got a cut. I've got to keep putting cream on and making sure it is cleaned properly.
"He cut all the way from one side, underneath and inside the nose, as well as down the middle and on the other side. So, I've got this snip on my nose. It's all scabby and bloody. I'm fine though, it'll go away."
Bernie, a young herring gull, returned to the window 'five seconds' after being thrown out of the sixth-floor flat and proceeded to watch from the window ledge as the former hairstylist tidied up his mess.
Hayley, who lives three floors above Bernie's nest with his 'wife Betty', first became 'best pals' with the seagull during the summer of 2020.
The pair have a very affectionate friendship, often 'holding hands', and the seagull is usually happy to be touched.
The 'modern-day Snow White' feeds her gull partner-in-crime daily, even going as far as to order him a breakfast delivery, despite previously being fined £150 by her building manager for feeding the birds.
Hayley said: "I'm his friend. I think he pretends to be my friend because he wants some food - but I think he loves me really. It was during covid years, and everyone was indoors so he became sort of like a new best friend.
"He's one of the only people I see really. I see him every day and I see my mum once a month. I've collected the feathers he leaves on the windowsill and I'm going to make a dreamcatcher out of them."
The viral video showing Bernie's spontaneous arrival received more than 2.3 million views on TikTok, as thousands of commentators expressed their enthusiasm.
However some suggested Hayley should be more careful when holding a wild seagull, who could cause her even more serious injury.
One said: "What did you expect? He's being a seagull not a pet cat!"
Another wrote: "You don't pick him up like that - next time try getting his wings to his body then holding him with the wings next to his body."
A fourth said: "I was waiting for it to peg your eye out... they are wild and will do it in a second. Gotta be more careful when handling them."
