What could be more British than a disgruntled seagull dripping in chicken tikka masala?

The seagull was scavenging a waste tub of curry outside a food processing plant on Monday. But when the time came to nab a piece of meat from the vat, the seabird slipped and fell into the tub, drenching itself in thick tikka masala sauce.

Fortunately for the bird, it was picked up by the Vale Wildlife Hospital down the road in Gloucestershire, England. Staff at the hospital scrubbed the bird with washing-up liquid to remove the bright orange coloring from its feathers and are now feeding it up with pieces of dog food and fish.

"I’ve been a veterinary nurse for 25 years and I have never seen this happen before," Lucy Kells from the animal hospital told the Press Association.

"The thing that shocked us the most was the smell. He smelled amazing, he really smelled good," she added.

Unfortunately for the bird, the veterinarians were unable to get rid of that aromatic smell. Although the gull is now back to its white and gray self, the detergent in the washing-up liquid washed away the oils and waxes in the seagulls feathers. So over the next few weeks, the bird will spend time in an outdoor aviary to get back its waterproofing sheen.

In the meantime the bird – now dubbed “Gullfrezi”– is enjoying its 15 minutes of social media stardom, complete with dozens and dozens of terrible curry puns.