IT S a case of cock-a-doodle-don t for four farm cockerels which may never crow again after a council ruled they constitute a noise nuisance. Farmer Paul Haworth of Battlers Green Farm in Radlett has been given a fortnight in which to get rid of the birds

IT'S a case of cock-a-doodle-don't for four farm cockerels which may never crow again after a council ruled they constitute a noise nuisance.

Farmer Paul Haworth of Battlers Green Farm in Radlett has been given a fortnight in which to get rid of the birds after a complaint from a nearby resident.

Mr Haworth said: "This farm dates back to medieval times when roosters would be part of the rural scene. We have been here since 1960 and have had roosters for around 20 years. As far as I know it's just one person who has complained and it seems a bit of a killjoy thing to do especially as they didn't even approach me about it."

To date Mr Haworth has not been able to find new homes for the four-year-old birds so they will have to be destroyed, but if he fails to comply with the noise abatement notice from Hertsmere Council he will be fined �5,000.

People who work and live on the farm have started a petition to save the four roosters before the deadline of August 20.

Dana Morgan, who has a shop on the site, said: "We are all really upset. I used to live here and it never bothered me. If you choose to live near a farm surely it's part and parcel of country life? I used to love to hear them.

"It's ludicrous that one person has the power to cause all this upset. Why move near a farm if you don't like what goes with it? You cannot stop a cockerel from crowing, they are part of the countryside."

The identity of the complainant remains a mystery but a spokesperson for Hertsmere Council said it only needed one person to complain for the council to act: "We can see both sides of this but if a neighbour complains their quality of life is suffering due to noise, we ask them to keep a noise diary then go and check to see for ourselves.