Seagull turns bright orange after getting soaked in chicken curry

A hungry seagull turned a bright shade of orange after plunging into a vat of chicken curry sauce.

Lucy Kells, a veterinary nurse from south-east Wales, has helped creatures soaked in cooking fat and glue, but never one covered in tikka masala curry.

She suspects the seabird was scavenging for meat in the waste vat of curry early this week when it fell in.

Staff cleaned the seagull's feathers using dish-washing liquid. Photo: Vale Wildlife Hospital

"He would normally have been able to take off from water but the curry was too thick and gloopy," Ms Kells told Wales Online.

"He would have drowned had they not found him in there."

Staff at Vale Wildlife Hospital, near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, were able to remove the curry from the bird's feathers using dish-washing liquid, but couldn't get rid of the smell.

A seagull ended up covered in curry sauce near Gloucestershire in Britain. Photo: Vale Wildlife Hospital

"I don't think any of us have experienced such an orange greasy gull to deal with before ... but boy did he smell good!" she wrote on Facebook.

"Need to think of a good curry related name for him now - how about 'Korma the gull'!?"

Facebook users dived into the challenge, suggesting nicknames such as "Instant Korma", "Vindagull" and "Sea Spice".

While staff washed off the curry, they couldn't get rid of the smell. Photo: Vale Wildlife Hospital

"It's a good job it wasn't a Kormorant," one user quipped.

They finally settled on "Gullfrazie".

While the seagull seems adventurous with food, it was skinny when it entered the hospital.

The seagull will soon be released into the wild. Photo: Vale Wildlife Hospital

Staff have been feeding it pieces of meat to build up its strength.

The scented bird will be released as soon as its feathers have recovered their natural oils.