FOUR noisy cockerels up for the chop have won a stay of execution after council officials bowed to public pressure to save them. The Herts Advertiser – along with national press – publicised the plight of the birds facing destruction after just ONE neighb

FOUR noisy cockerels up for the chop have won a stay of execution after council officials bowed to public pressure to save them.

The Herts Advertiser - along with national press - publicised the plight of the birds facing destruction after just ONE neighbour complained about the birds at Battlers Green Farm in Common Lane, Radlett.

Council officers investigated after a neighbour - who has lived in the area for several years - complained that the birds were crowing nearly continuously throughout the night at Battlers Green Farm in Common Lane.

Farmer Paul Haworth could find no suitable way to silence the birds and found it impossible to re-home them so he would have had to reluctantly put them down or face a �5,000 fine.

He said: "There's been a farm here since medieval times when roosters would be part of the rural scene. As far as I know it's just one person who has complained and it seems a bit of a killjoy thing to do."

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

Dana Morgan, who has a shop on the site said: "If you choose to live near a farm, surely it's part and parcel of country life?"

Cllr Jean Heywood, portfolio holder for environment, said: "We have always had sympathy for both sides in this case. We never said the owner had to get rid of the birds, just to do something to quieten them down. The problem seems to be made worse because of security lights on the site and the fact the birds are left to roam free. "

A spokesperson for Hertsmere Council said: "For further action to be taken now, we would need to be contacted again by the complainant and then be satisfied, by our own investigations, that the notice was being breached. At that point we would decide, giving due consideration to all factors, whether to embark upon a prosecution."

She added that it would then be up to magistrates to decide the case including what level of penalty to impose.