SIR – I know nothing about these roosters and thus express no opinion about their existence. However unlike some of the parties to this dispute I do have principles. Thus I was appalled to read that the Hertsmere Council has served notice on farmer Paul

SIR - I know nothing about these roosters and thus express no opinion about their existence. However unlike some of the parties to this dispute I do have principles.

Thus I was appalled to read that the Hertsmere Council has served notice on farmer Paul Haworth to get rid of his four cockerels after a complaint from ONE nearby resident. I am further appalled that they appear to be ignoring the petition raised by other local residents to save these birds.

What appalls me even more is that it needs only ONE person to complain for the council to act. Most appalling of all is that the identity of the complainent remains a secret.

Two courses of action need to be taken. Firstly, that the Herts Advertiser investigative reporting team make every effort to identity the complainent and have their name published as a headline.

Secondly, that the Hertsmere Council take notice of my complaint. As the council spokesthing stated: "It only needed one person to complain for the council to act". I am one person; I am complaining; the council must act.

What happened to democracy?

MIKE UPSON

Overstone Road

Harpenden

SIR - I write in response to your front page feature concerning the plight of Paul Haworth and the cockerels on his farm.

Although not a farmer myself, as the keeper of six chickens, I must empathise with Mr Haworth and express my complete disgust for the miserable lives of those who constantly complain about the natural sounds of the country. These chickens live on a farm. As far as I'm aware, cocks and hens have domiciled English farms for millennia and the sounds beckoning the arrival of the morning haven't changed in that time. What has changed is our society - impatient, people living in their own little bubble, quick to criticise and admonish others whose lifestyles don't fit our own prescribed pattern of acceptability - and with the seeming mission to destroy every vestige of our national way of life.

While children get abducted and murdered, drunken thugs parade the streets at night and our country lies in the mire of deep financial ruin, we have 'busybodies' anonymously calling council hotlines because six hens profer a welcoming "cock a doodle do" within earshot. It is all so wrong and an indictment of how shallow we have become as a people in the past 25 years.

When the complainant bought their house, surely they knew of the farm's proximity and the slight possibility of rural sounds and smells? And it's not as if Mr Haworth has the entire cast of Animal Farm signing either. It's just six chickens! No, it's not the roosters that should be moving on - it's the sad people, fortunately rarer than hen's, teeth who hide behind net curtains calling 'dob on your neighbour' hotlines because they have nothing better to do. Sorry to 'crow' on but I feel so strongly. I hope the cocks survive and that they cock a doodle don't suffer their publicised fate!

BARRY CASHIN

Green Lane

St Albans