A Falmouth fire service crew dashed to a Rescue yesterday to find on arrival a seagull had become stuck on a chimney stack at Pendennis Castle.

The crew, fully prepared as for any other more serious shouts, used a ladder and line rescue equipment to free the bird before returning to the fire station in Trescobeas Road ready for the next call-out.

Just how much the rescue of the seagull cost the fire service, already undergoing financial restraint, has so far not been revealed. Officials say there was no cost at all.

A Packet request to Cornwall Council to explain the situation led to a statement which said: “A crew from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service was called to Pendennis Castle on Monday, October 4 at the request of the RSPCA who were unable to free a seagull which was trapped on the café roof.

“This is in accordance with the service’s agreed policy with regard to the rescue of animals which states that crews will only attend such incidents at the specific request of the RSPCA. As Falmouth is a whole time station, the crew were already on duty and, therefore, there was no additional cost for attending the incident.

But what was the real cost of rescuing the lone seagull? Should the fire service carry out such rescues?

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