Locals seek permanent home for mischievous peacock

Percy the peacock has been known to tap on doors and windows in an attempt to scavenge food

Concerned residents are trying to find a permanent home for a mischievous peacock who has been terrorising their rural community.

Percy, as he has been named, first appeared in Marlborough, Wiltshire, in May and has since been spotted lounging on roofs and chomping on residents' vegetables.

In addition to disrupting sleep with his "raucous" squawk, he has wreaked havoc on the local ecosystem by challenging cats and pigeons that stray into his territory.

Despite the publicity, local Christine Mercer says no one has come forward to claim him, and she fears he may be stuck outside for the cold winter months ahead.

Residents have tried various tactics to find him a home, including approaching wildlife groups, which declined to help as he is not a native bird.

"He's been here since May and if he stays another three months it starts to get really cold," Ms Mercer said. "We don't know what peacocks do in the winter."

In the meantime, neighbours have set up a group chat to alert each other to Percy's movements.

He is known to have pecked on their doors and windows in what are deemed to be attempts to find food.

'Mixed blessings'

"He's still around," Ms Mercer said. "We keep thinking he might disappear but then he's back again.

"No one has come forward to claim him and he's got no ring on his leg, so we can't identify where he may have come from.

"We've sort of got mixed blessings here. Some are fond of him, some want to see the back of him."

Ms Mercer says two more peacocks have since been spotted nearby, sparking rumours there may be a roost close at hand.

"Whether or not they are breeding in the wild somewhere and coming into the town, we just don't know. They'll be spreading all over Wiltshire soon," she laughed.