Norfolk County Council rejects Ditchingham chicken roundabout memorial

Gordon Knowles, best known as the "Ole Chicken Man of Bungay", would feed the chickens on the roundabout

Highways bosses have rejected plans for a memorial to a local character known for his love of poultry.

Gordon Knowles, known as the "Ole Chicken Man of Bungay", died aged 87 in January 2020.

Mr Knowles would feed wild poultry on a roundabout on the A143 at Ditchingham on the Norfolk-Suffolk border, leading to 300 birds flocking there.

Norfolk County Council rejected plans for a sign to name it "Chicken Roundabout" and celebrate Mr Knowles.

Mr Knowles fed the chickens, taking a wheelbarrow of feed each morning, for 21 years

A variety of ideas have been put forward over the years to celebrate the roundabout, from fibreglass chickens to statues of Mr Knowles.

Brendon Bernard, a South Norfolk District and Ditchingham parish councillor, said: "To a lot of people in Ditchingham and Bungay that roundabout is 'Chicken Roundabout' and has been for almost 30 years."

Mr Bernard rejected the highways team suggestion of a simple plaque, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"Highways said, whatever happens, they would not consider anything on the roundabout itself but they would consider something on one of the triangles off it," Mr Bernard said.

It is believed chickens lived on the roundabout for about 50 years, but they have not been there since the final few were taken away by an animal charity about a decade ago.

Barry Stone, the Clavering councillor at Norfolk County Council, said discussions were continuing

"Our highways team are working closely with the local community to suitably mark the location of the famous chicken roundabout near Ditchingham," he said.

"The details are still to be agreed but the suggestion is to install a plinth-style information sign close to the roundabout with colourful images and a brief history of the site to tell the story of this local landmark and the significant contribution Mr Knowles made.

"This is an idea that I support and I hope others will too."