Latest news with #nuisance
Telegraph
4 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Squawking peacocks ‘terrorising' village
Villagers have claimed they are being terrorised by a flock of peacocks that are destroying their gardens and keeping them awake past 2am. The noisy birds, in Tutbury, Staffordshire, have become such a problem that council bosses have issued a warning urging people not to feed them. Locals say the peacocks trample their plants, leave droppings on driveways and vehicles, and can be heard 'squawking' in the early hours of the morning. Marion West, a 71-year-old retired dinner lady, said: 'They're up half the night squawking and keep you awake. I squirt them with a water pistol if they come near me. 'If you're not careful, they poo everywhere, and it's such a mess. They eat your flowers too. They're a pain in the backside. And when they walk on your roof, it sounds like you've got burglars.' Another resident, who did not wish to be named, added: 'They're such a nuisance, getting all on your plants and making a mess everywhere. 'I mean, they're lovely birds, but when they're up at 5.30am squawking you don't need it. 'The other night they were noisy until 2am and then back here at 5.30am the next day. As to who owns them, I don't think anyone really knows.' But Heather Hunter-Harris, 63, who has been living in the area for more than 16 years, claimed the peacocks were part of Tutbury's charm. She said: 'They're alright – they are loud, and they're up early. But most birds are. They're cheeky, and if they can get food out of you they will, but I just don't feed them. 'The peacocks have always been in Tutbury. I feel like if you take those out, you're taking Tutbury away. 'People come here to see the peacocks, and when they put their tails up, it looks lovely. You've just got to be tolerant, keep out their way, and let them get on with it.' Tutbury parish council, which described the birds as a 'serious problem', has urged villagers not to feed them as it makes them harder to deter. Francis Crossley, who chairs the council, said he believed there were 26 peacocks during the authority's last count but there could now be up to 40. He added: 'Some people love them, but some people can't bear them. It's a Marmite situation. They're nice to hear in the background, but not outside your house. 'They wouldn't attack anyone, but when they see their reflection, they do peck – like if they see a reflection in a car. They roam around and eat vegetables growing if they aren't covered up, and they are up as soon as it's daylight. 'We just ask that people don't feed them, as neighbours are being disturbed by them. I can understand people's frustration if they end up on your roof because your neighbour is feeding them.'
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
It's the Peac-y Blinders! Thuggish gang of 40 peacocks are terrorising families living in once-quiet village
Residents of a quaint village have spoke of their hell at being terrorised by a flock of 40 peacocks destroying gardens and keeping them awake at night past 2am. The noisy birds have been ruffling feathers in Tutbury, Staffordshire - to the point where council bosses have now issued a warning urging people not to feed them. Fed-up locals say the peacocks trample their plants, leave droppings on driveways and vehicles and can be heard squawking between 5am to 2am the next morning. Villagers say the pesky flock has become an 'invasion of their privacy' as they regularly climb on rooftops as well as munching on their vegetable patches. Retired dinnerlady Marion West, 71, said: 'They're a bit of a pain - they're up half the night squawking and keep you awake. 'I squirt them with a water pistol if they come near me. They eat your flowers too - they're a pain in the backside. 'And when they walk on your roof, it sounds like you've got burglars.' Another local resident, who did not wish to be named, said: 'They're an absolute nuisance, making noise first thing in the morning. Fed-up locals say the peacocks trample their plants, leave droppings on driveways and vehicles and can be heard squawking between 5am to 2am the next morning 'When I moved here 12 years ago, there was one peacock and a peahen, and now there's well over 20. 'They gather on the roofs and keep us all awake - they're absolutely terrible.' Another unnamed resident added: 'They're such a nuisance, getting all on your plants and making a mess everywhere. 'I mean, they're lovely birds, but when they're up at 5.30am squawking, you don't need it. 'The other night they were noisy until 2am and then back here at 5.30am the next day. 'For the people that take photos, they're fine and lovely, but not when you live with them. 'As to who owns them, I don't think anyone really knows.' But Heather Hunter-Harris, 63, who has been living in the area for more than 16 years, said the peacocks were part of Tutbury's charm. She said: 'They're all right - they are loud and they're up early, but most birds are. 'They're cheeky, and if they can get food out of you they will, but I just don't feed them. 'But the peacocks have always been in Tutbury. 'I feel like if you take those out, you're taking Tutbury away. 'People come here to see the peacocks, and when they put their tails up, it looks lovely. 'You've just got to be tolerant, keep out their way, and let them get on with it.' Tutbury Parish Council has now encouraged villagers not to feed the peacocks, as it makes them harder to deter, after admitting they had become a 'serious problem'. Council chair Francis Crossley said he believed there were 26 peacocks during the council's last count but there could now be up to 40. He added: 'As a parish council, we haven't really taken a view as they're not ours. 'Some people love them, but some people can't bear them - it's a Marmite situation. 'They're nice to hear in the background, but not outside your house. 'They wouldn't attack anyone, but when they see their reflection, they do peck - like if they see a reflection in a car. 'They roam around and eat vegetables growing if they aren't covered up, and they are up as soon as it's daylight. 'We just ask that people don't feed them, as neighbours are being disturbed by them. 'I can understand people's frustration, if they end up on your roof because your neighbour is feeding them.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
When is your neighbour (legally) being a nuisance? The law explained
A couple have been awarded damages after the garden of their £2m home was bombarded with footballs from a neighbouring primary school. A High Court judge ruled on Monday that the 170 footballs that were kicked into their garden in Winchester, Hampshire, over a period of 11 months amounted to nuisance. Mohamed, 77, and Marie-Anne Bakhty, 66, brought a civil claim against Hampshire County Council, in October 2022, alleging common law nuisance over the footballs. The previous year, The Westgate School next door had transformed their grassy playground into a £36,000 all-weather play area with a five-a-side football pitch after a fundraising initiative. While the couple were awarded £1,000 in damages, High Court Judge Philip Glen, sitting in Southampton, refused to grant an injunction that would stop the use of the all-weather play area. He ordered Hampshire County Council to pay the Bakhatys £1,000 in damages for the period when there was 'excess use' of the pitch, and when 'significant numbers of balls were crossing the boundary fence'. He wrote of the couple: 'I fear, however, that they have become sensitised by the noise from the school in a way which has caused them to become over-invested in their belief that they are victims of a wrong. In short, they have lost perspective.' The case shines a spotlight on common law nuisance and when a neighbour may be doing something legal on their own land that could have an impact on those living next door. Yahoo News explains. In UK common law, where decisions are made by a judge rather than statutes, there are two types of nuisance. One is public nuisance, whereby an act may endanger or obstruct the public in the exercise or enjoyment of their rights. The other is private nuisance, usually caused by someone doing something on their own land which they are legally entitled to do but that becomes a nuisance when its effects extend to a neighbour's land. Private nuisance is a civil matter not a criminal one. In the 1997 case of Hunter v Canary Wharf, the House of Lords identified three types of private nuisance: encroachment on a neighbour's land; direct physical injury to a neighbour's land and interference with a neighbour's quiet enjoyment of their land. Nuisance can include loud noise, smoke from bonfires, vibrations, flooding from a neighbouring property or tree branches encroaching on someone's land. To constitute a legal nuisance the issue must cause a significant disturbance to the property of the complainant and occur on a regular basis. In many nuisance cases, neighbours do not realise that their actions are causing a disturbance to those next door, which is why it is advised to talk to your neighbour first if there is an issue and try to resolve the matter without legal action. Neighbours may also use a mediation service to resolve the dispute. Residents may report a nuisance to their local council, which can take action if it is deemed a statutory nuisance, which can include noise, smoke or artificial light from a premises. A statutory nuisance must interfere with the use or enjoyment of your home or be likely to injure your health. You can also make a civil private nuisance claim by applying to the County Court or High Court, however if you lose your claim you may have to pay the other side's costs as well as your own. Even if you win, you may receive compensation through damages but not get an injunction to prevent the disputed activity from continuing.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Winchester couple awarded damages after footballs land in garden
Balls repeatedly kicked over a fence from a school into a neighbouring property's garden were a nuisance, a High Court judge has and Marie-Anne Bakhaty were awarded damages after bringing a legal claim against Hampshire County Council regarding the footballs from Westgate All Through School in Bakhaty told the court in a witness statement that about 170 balls came over the fence over a period of 11 High Court Judge Philip Glen, sitting in Southampton, did not grant an injunction stopping the use of the all-weather play area. The play area, built in 2021, is parallel to, and about 2m (6.6ft) from the boundary of the Bakhaty's house, which has a large garden and swimming are separated by a 1.8m (5.9ft) wooden fence. In his written ruling Judge Glen said: "I recognise that they are extremely fond and proud of what is on any view a beautiful home."I fear, however, that they have become sensitised by the noise from the school in a way which has caused them to become over-invested in their belief that they are victims of a wrong. In short, they have lost perspective."Judge Glen added that while use of the £36,000 all-weather play area did not give rise to "actionable nuisance", the "frequent projection of balls over the boundary" from the play area was a ordered the council to pay the Bakhatys £1,000 in damages when there was "excess use" of the area, and when "significant numbers of balls were crossing the boundary fence".He said he was satisfied that the noise from the school, with or without the play area, was "substantial, in the sense of not being trivial or transient", and that a substantial number of balls crossed the boundary fence before measures were put in place in 2022. The headteacher of the school wrote to the couple to offer to fence off the area to create a buffer zone, put up a ball net, and restrict use of the area at certain times of the couple did not respond, but the school took action Glen added: "If a net was erected to prevent balls and other objects from crossing the boundary fence, I cannot necessarily see that there could be any real objection to opening this area up altogether."He also said he did not consider that the defendant "threatens and intends" to "continue the nuisance". You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
Times
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Times
Couple awarded £1,000 over footballs kicked into garden
Repeatedly having footballs kicked over your garden fence constitutes a legal 'nuisance', a High Court judge has ruled, after hearing the case of a wealthy couple prevented from enjoying their swimming pool and summerhouse. Mr Justice Glen ruled that while 'occasional' stray balls might be 'annoying', the 'frequent projection' of them into someone else's property breaches common law. The ruling came as Mohamed and Marie-Anne Bakhaty, who live in a £2 million home in Winchester, Hampshire, successfully sued their council after complaining about footballs landing at a rate of one every other day into their garden from a neighbouring school. They said the balls and noise from an all-weather five-a-side football pitch meant they could no longer use their swimming pool or summerhouse, and were
