ANGRY residents are calling for action to tackle the “disgusting” mess and noise made by seagulls roosting at a derelict factory in Dovercourt.

Residents in Dockfield Avenue want the former Delfords warehouse to be demolished or made more secure after years of problems, including children climbing on the roof of the building.

They said the mess, smell and noise created by flocks of seagulls in the building, which has stood empty for seven years, was becoming unbearable.

Tesco was in talks with the landowner over opening a supermarket at the Main Road site in 2010, but withdrew its interest three years later.

The site is owned by Scott Properties, which plans to submit an application for 70 homes on the land by the end of April.

Chris Dommett, of Dockfield Avenue, said: “It has been a problem for a few years and gradually it is getting worse and worse. Thousands and thousands of these birds come to nest in the building every year.

“They’ve been back in the last six weeks, making a racket, but it is the mess that’s the real problem.

“It gets all over cars, gardens and erodes paint from walls.

“We have grandchildren and when they come down we never want them touching anything as it’s just not hygienic.”

Neighbour Larraine Heard described the smell and noise as “appalling”.

“It would be good to see the building demolished,” she added.

“At the very least they should put something like plastic sheeting over the building to stop the birds getting in.

“Every morning my husband has to go out with a bucket of water and a hard brush and scrub all the mess off the decking.”

“One of these days someone will be really hurt – we see children on the roof all the time.”

Ward councillor Jo Henderson said she had been pushing for Tendring Council to issue enforcement action to get the site secured.

A spokesman for Scott Properties said the site suffers break-ins on a daily basis.

Nigel Brown, communications manager at Tendring Council, added: “Our structures and development manager decided the buildings are in a dangerous condition and wrote to the owner about the situation requesting action be taken.

“The owner has organised a visit to the site to check on the boundary fencing, has promised to carry out regular checks and will make sure that security to the site is improved.

“This should prevent anyone getting on to the site, such as children.”