Framlingham cockerel's crowing investigated after complaint

Rory is a "really handsome" cockerel and protective of his hens, said owner Julie Smith

The crowing of a town-dwelling cockerel in its owner's back garden is being investigated after a council received a complaint about the noise.

Julie Smith, from Framlingham, said she had received letters and a visit from East Suffolk Council's environmental protection team regarding her cockerel Rory.

She said she would "fight" to keep the bird.

East Suffolk Council said the investigation was ongoing.

Ms Smith has eight hens plus Rory at her Station Road home, and she gives out free eggs to the community.

She said Rory helped her hens to lay more eggs.

"He's a really handsome cockerel and very protective of his hens, and he's very good as a 'guard dog' as he alerts me," she said.

Julie Smith said she was going to fight to keep Rory

Ms Smith said her understanding was that the council had received one complaint about the noise Rory makes.

"My family go back to the 1700s here. They always had hens and cockerels and never had any problems," she said.

Framlingham has seen a lot of new-build development in recent years, including some along Station Road.

An East Suffolk Council spokesperson said the complaint was being investigated according to the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which required local authorities to investigate complaints of noise disturbance and to serve a noise abatement notice if a statutory nuisance existed.

"As part of the investigation, officers will usually discuss the issue with concerned parties, using in-person visits, log sheets and noise monitoring equipment to identify if the complaint is justified and, where appropriate, to find a resolution through informal means," the spokesperson said.

"In some circumstances, like this one, a deferral option on the notice allows a further seven days for the issue to be addressed before the abatement notice is served."