Cock-A-Doodle-Do??

Cocks responsible for farm-based fallout

Neighbours of Roy and Valerie Rylands of Bwlch-y-ffridd, mid Wales, complained that their cockerels wake them up each morning as early as 2.30am.

A noise abatement officer for the local council confirmed just how noisy the birds really are, recording 112 crows within a 20-minute period and 74 during a stint of just five minutes.

The Rylands were ordered to keep their five cockerels, Boris, Barack Obama, Jet, Rusty and John, quiet, however, they have gone to court to challenge the ruling.

Addressing magistrates in Welshpool, Jonathan Salmon of Powys County Council said it is easy to be 'flippant' about such cases, but the reality is that the council receives a number of complaints about cockerels each year.

'Once sleep is disturbed one can easily find it is almost impossible to sleep again,' Wales Online quotes him as saying.

Mr Rylands told reporters outside of court that if he and his wife do not win the case, they will go out of business.

'The only way to stop them crowing is to eat them,' he added.

In Cornwall, Catherine and John Stringer, from Probus, near Truro, are currently appealing a noise abatement notice about their cockerels, however, they have the support of many of their neighbours, who have signed a petition against the notice, reports The Cornish Guardian.