Cockerels anger neighbours with early wake-up calls
A family in Swindon claim they are experiencing unwanted early wake-up calls from cockerels crowing at dawn.
The Reeves family said they have heard cockerels on Pickards Field allotment which is next to their family home on Pinehurst Road.
According to allotment rules tenants must not keep animals or livestock of any kind on the allotment, except hens and rabbits.
Deanne Reeves said: "It's been going on since November last year."
Cockerels were removed from the allotment following an inspection last year, however Miss Reeves claims that the birds were brought back in March.
Swindon Borough Council spokesman Kevin Burchall said: "We have inspected Pickards Field on three separate occasions and could not find any evidence of any cockerels."
Miss Reeves' mother, Christine, said: "At one time there was three lots of cockerels out there and they were answering each other in the morning.
"[This] meant that I was getting up at five o'clock instead of what I would like to do, eight o'clock after I've had a nice cup of tea."
Miss Reeves said her father was woken up at 0445 BST on Tuesday.
Swindon Borough Council said its last visit was on 7 April when no cockerels were seen or heard.