Couple prosecuted over noisy chicken, ordered to find a new home for the birds

Team Udayavani, Dec 22, 2021, 10:53 AM IST

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A court in the United Kingdom has ordered a couple to find a new home for their noisy chicken, which has allegedly ‘brought agony’ to scores of locals.

On the 8th of December, Alexander and Lorraine Burgeen pled guilty to noise nuisance under the Noise Abatement Act.

According to the BBC, Blackpool Magistrates’ Court ordered them to rehome their cockerels.

The matter dates back to March 2018, when neighbours began complaining about how noisy the birds were. The cockerels used to ‘crow all day until sundown,’ according to some, making the situation a ‘horror.’

According to an article in the Blackpool Gazzette, the neighbours also claimed that the cockerels’ food attracted a rat infestation.

“It has been a nightmare. You can’t sit in your garden, you can’t open your window. It has been a horrendous noise, and they just don’t seem to care,” a neighbour said.

Further adding, “We have asked them politely to do something about it, and we’ve had aggression from them in return. We’ve had them shouting through our windows. The cockerels wake us up at 5 AM, and they crow all day until dusk,”

When the case was brought to court, Councillor Rick Scott stated that such a situation would be expected on a farm, but not on a residential street.

“You’d expect this if you lived on a farm but not in a residential street. It is very annoying at any time but especially at five o’clock in the morning,” said Councillor Rick Scott.

He added, “It is very annoying at any time but especially at five o’clock in the morning. Residents are overjoyed the court told the couple to get rid of the cockerels and they hope this is the end of the matter,”

Aside from being forced to rehome the birds, the pair was also fined £100 in court costs, a £22 victim surcharge, and given a conditional 12-month discharge.