A COCKEREL faces the death penalty because its early morning crowing is driving neighbours potty.

The family pet of the Hickman family, from Upton-upon-Severn, is facing destruction after officers from Malvern Hills District Council instigated an investigation.

Derek Hickman said he is angry at the way council officers have investigated the alleged noise nuisance, claiming they have tried to "whip up" complaints from neighbours.

Mr Hickman, of Tunnel Hill, said the cockerel was not the only one in the neighbourhood and he was surprised it was being deemed a nuisance.

"I don't encourage him to run around at 2.30am," he said. "All the chickens go into a purpose-built ark at night and they're completely in the dark."

He added that his three children - aged 11, 13 and 14 - liked to see the hens sitting on the eggs and the chicks hatching.

"The sad thing is we can't have anymore chicks without a cockerel. At the moment he is on death row but he hasn't been executed yet."

He said he appreciated environmental health officers had to investigate complaints, but he believed they had gone too far.

Neighbour Jeffrey Beardsley, of Hydefields, added the council had gone too far.

"The council sent us a form to fill it about what time the cockerel crows," he said. "It's absolutely ridiculous.

"I've lived here for eight years and before Mr Hickman moved in there was a family keeping chickens and they were squawking night and morning.

" It's part and parcel of living in the country."

Frank Seabright, of Malvern Hills District Council's environmental health department, said several complaints had been made.

He said the owner had been advised to try to reduce the problem, but it has escalated.

"As the problems continued complainants were asked to keep detailed records," he said.

"We're not whipping up complaints, we're trying to establish the level of effect.

"If people don't feel it's a problem that's fine."