HAVING lived in Earswick for more than 30 years, during which time many of us have kept poultry, may I be allowed to give my views on the cockerel controversy.

Apparently a complaint was made to City of York Council about the cockerel's early-morning crow.

I suggest that an appropriate response from the council would have been to point out that in a country village a crowing cockerel is not a reason to read the "riot act" and quote sections of the law on noise.

We also have a "dawn chorus" at about 3.30am in summer. I trust that this will not give rise to another complaint because the city council's attitude could suggest a culling of blackbirds and sparrows as being the answer.

It would seem reasonable to expect that those people who come to live in an area such as this would accept our rural way of life.

As regards the offending cockerel - long may he crow.

Kenneth R Oxtoby,

The Village,

Earswick, York.

Updated: 10:58 Wednesday, January 18, 2006