Council officials shoot dead three wild cockerels... to stop them disturbing residents' sleep

Nuisance? Three wild cockerels wild cockerels were shot dead by council officials to stop them disturbing the sleep of local residents, but some considered the birds as pets
Animal lovers are outraged after three wild cockerels were shot dead by council officials to stop them disturbing the sleep of local residents.
The birds were blasted with an air rifle as they roosted in trees after environmental health officers had tried in vain to capture them alive for four months.
The killings upset some local people who had given them names and enjoyed feeding them with leftover food, grain and pieces of bread.

The cockerels are believed to have been abandoned by their former owner last year on the quayside beside the River Waveney at Beccles, Suffolk.
But while some locals considered them pets, other residents claimed that they were being kept awake by the cockerels crowing as early as 4am.
Waveney Council decided that the birds were a nuisance and started using humane methods to try and capture them in June.
Ten were re-homed after being caught in baited traps or by council officers climbing up trees at night and wielding nets and dog loop leads to catch them as they slept.
three of the birds managed to avoid capture and started roosting even higher in trees at a height of 25ft to 30ft so they could not be reached.
A decision was finally taken to use a council sharpshooter with an air rifle and torch to blast the birds out of the trees as they roosted.
A local resident who did not wish to be named, described the council's actions as 'disgusting and despicable'.