Schoolboy, 10, retains gull-screeching title after seeing off challenge from seven-year-old sister

Restaurant owners introduce toastie insurance for pesky seagulls
GB News
Eliana Silver

By Eliana Silver


Published: 28/04/2025

- 22:35

He now refers to himself as 'seagull boy'

A ten-year-old boy from Chesterfield has made history by winning the European seagull screeching championship for the second consecutive year.

Cooper Wallace travelled to the Belgian coastal resort of De Panne where he became the first contestant in the competition's five-year history to win gold twice.


He mounted the podium to God Save the King after his victory.

Cooper's victory last year transformed his life, making him an instant celebrity.

Cooper

Cooper's victory last year transformed his life, making him an instant celebrity

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"My life changed a lot when I won last year. It will never be the same," he said.

His distinctive seagull cries have been used to advertise a Fortnum & Mason's ice cream, he has appeared at the Natural History Museum and become a gull champion for the RSPB.

He now refers to himself as "seagull boy".

Cooper began his unusual talent after an altercation when a gull tried to steal his sandwich at the seaside.

His advice for dealing with seagulls is to make "eye contact" and screech back.

The competition aims to build greater harmony between humans and gulls, with contestants judged on sound quality and convincing gull behaviour.

Cooper scored 92 out of 100 points in his first victory.

Cooper's seven-year-old sister Shelby also participated in the competition but did not secure a podium position.

A seagull chick, with its parent, nesting on the roof of a pumping station

Cooper's advice for dealing with seagulls is to make "eye contact" and screech back

PA

She has vowed to challenge her brother next year, declaring: "Next year, I am going to win."

Shelby, who calls herself "sea gurl", added: "People should be nicer to seagulls; they have done nothing wrong. We want seagulls to live a long time."

Claude Willaert, founder of the contest, praised Cooper's historic achievement.

He said: "No one has ever won the gold twice before. Everyone who goes on the stage is a hero."

Willaert explained the competition's purpose, declaring: "Seagulls are aerial acrobats with a distinctive cry, which we link to the sea, sun, sand and holidays. It is our behaviour, our rubbish, our seaside resorts pushing them out of that."