Henfield Peacocks land new roost after culling fears

The birds have been roaming around Henfield in West Sussex for "a year or two"

Peacocks which roam a West Sussex village have a new home following threats of "humane dispatch" by police.

The birds, affectionately dubbed "The Boys" by some in Henfield, ruffled the feathers of other villagers with their loud, screeching calls.

Sussex Police issued a notice about capturing the birds, but backtracked on the initial line they would be killed.

Now a resident has volunteered to host them on their land, where they can still be visited by their many fans.

The initial notice from police suggested "humane dispatch" might be required

The force had said the non-native birds were posing a threat to local wildlife and their existence in the wild could not continue.

Concerned villagers set up a Facebook group to raise awareness of the birds' plight and it now has more than 650 followers.

Sgt Tom Carter said: "They have also been causing distress and inconvenience to some people living in the area, damaging gardens and making excessive noise at all hours of the day.

"We are in touch with someone who is happy to assist with this and offer the birds a safe home in the future and we are looking to achieve this as soon as possible."

The force will be inspecting the potential home next week.

Sussex Police said the birds should be rehomed for their own safety and welfare

Sooky Choi, a member of the "Save the Henfield peacocks" group, said if approved, their new home will be set in an area with a lot of land for them to roam and they will be "very well looked after".

They would need to be put into an enclosure initially to adjust to their new setting, and local builders have offered materials and labour to construct it.

The nearby vet is also on board, who looks after the peacocks in nearby Leonardslee Gardens, and other villagers have offered to contribute food for the birds.