The pretty UK 'town' where blood-thirsty crows are savaging schoolkids and mums
A schoolgirl was left bleeding after a recent incident in Dulwich, southeast London, while a pram-pushing mother was seen fleeing from a crow in another ambush
Residents of a pretty 'town' in southeast London are living in terror due to a series of violent crow attacks.
A schoolgirl was left bleeding after a recent incident in leafy and affluent Dulwich - and a mother pushing a pram was seen running away from an attacking crow. Footage also reveals a cyclist being pursued by two relentless crows, screaming as one swoops down on him.
Almost ten incidents have been reported since last year, with bald men appearing to be the most common victims. Locals are now being advised to carry umbrellas for protection, with one mother even donning a bicycle helmet for added safety.
Dulwich is known as one of the most upscale areas in the south of the capital, having been home to celebrities such as Hollywood star Tom Cruise, former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards, and ex-prime minister Margaret Thatcher. However, overprotective crows guarding their young fledglings have been assaulting passers-by on the leafy Townley Road.
The nesting season for crows occurs between spring and early summer each year, during which time parent birds can become aggressive in defence of potential threats to their chicks. Research has indicated that they can recognise individual human faces and may even choose specific targets.
Bridget Furst, chair of the Dulwich Residents' Association, visited Townley Road last week following reports of the recent wave of attacks and witnessed one herself. She said: "You can see the crows circling around. They sit in the trees over the playing fields.
"As I turned into Townley Road a woman was running away. She had a kid in a buggy and was looking over her shoulder.
"She was running so fast we couldn't stop to talk to her - the crow was just behind her. Last year someone was sent to hospital after having his head pecked. And that attack on the girl who was pecked on the head recently was horrible.
"There's a big crow nest near to where I live, but you never get these sorts of problems. It's very strange...It's these particular, aggressive crows that have caused people fear over the last two years.
"There has been a warning put out about going down Townley Road with food, and people should perhaps take an umbrella with them."
Alison Frean, a mum-of-two who has lived on the road for around 18 years, has been attacked herself several times. But the letting agency director, 60, fears there's little that can be done to deter the crows.
She said: "We've got these wonderful trees and we have nesting crows in them. When they have a baby and it fledges, it drops down to the grass and the mummy, daddy and aunty crows protect it.
"Anybody who passes by on bikes or walking - especially men with bald heads - they dive on them.
"Last year I was swooped on three times just trying to get out of my car. It was quite traumatising... I tried to go out again with a bike helmet on.
"Kids on little scooters are being dive-bombed and people just stay in their houses, looking out. Ever since we've lived here there has been a lot of crows and there's not really anything we can do about it."
