The government has set aside £250,000 to help tackle growing seagull numbers.

Chancellor George Osborne has earmarked the money for research into how to deal with growing numbers of the birds in towns and cities following a campaign by Liberal Democrat MP Don Foster.

It comes as David Cameron revealed he has been the victim of the greedy gulls.

The Prime Minister, who regularly takes holidays with his family in Cornwall, told the Western Morning News: "I haven't felt particularly oppressed by seagulls. In my distant past I remember some seagulls taking the ham out of a sandwich. But I haven't held that against the entire seagull population since."

Mr Foster has campaigned for action to be taken to tackle the "menace" since before the Lib Dems entered government and hosted a "seagull summit" three years ago.

Analysis by the Financial Times found 16 cases of marginal constituencies benefiting from measures in the Budget, including £97 million for regeneration in Brent Cross, which straddles the ultra-marginal Hendon constituency where Conservative MP Matthew Offord has a majority of 106.

The opposition has accused budget measures such as the seagull projects of being "pork barrel politics" aimed at winning over marginal seats have been dismissed by the coalition.

Jon Ashworth, shadow Cabinet Office minister, told the Financial Times: "This is pork barrel politics at its worst."

Lib Dem sources insisted the seagull study was aimed at tackling the problem nationwide and the Treasury said the Chancellor had set out economic plans for every region in the country.

A Liberal Democrat source said: "It's just silly stuff from an Opposition trying to cause mischief.

"Urban seagulls are a serious issue across the country and Don Foster has fought a campaign to get a proper study done so they can be properly dealt with."

A Treasury spokesman said: "From investing £13 billion to improving transport across of the whole of the north of England to introducing 20 housing zones around the country to keep Britain building, from day one this Government has been committed to building a truly national recovery to close the long-term gaps between the north and south, London and the rest.

"The Chancellor has set out long-term economic plans for every region to make sure that Britain's prosperity is shared across the country and the Budget took this even further with ambitious investment in a wide range of areas like enterprise zones, flood defence and science to ensure that no industry and no region is left behind."