Latest news with #villagers
Daily Mail
a day 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.'
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Nigerian air force mistakenly bomb vigilantes for Zamfara
Pipo wey dey some villages for Maru Local Goment Area for Zamfara State, northwest Nigeria, don tok say na 20 pipo die as bandits attack dem, and Nigerian army jet wey come fight di bandits drop airstrike wey kill pipo. Di villagers tok say di bandits carry more dan 50 pipo from di village wey dey work for farm, but di army jet wey come help, mistakenly kill some local vigilante wey dey try fight di bandits. Pipo for Mani area of Maru Local goment tok say di bandits wey ride come wit motorbike attack dem for afternoon wen dem dey farm. Dem tok say as di bandits reach, dem begin shoot anyhow and carry some pipo comot. One pesin wey no wan make dem call im name tell BBC Hausa say dem dey go help di pipo wey bandits attack wen di army jet come, but di jet begin shoot dem and kill some. Di man tok say, "Di bandits carry 50 pipo but as di army jet see us dey go help, e fly low begin shoot. Eviribodi run for im life and even us wey dey alive na God save us, sake say we lie down for ground." "We lie down like say dem shoot us too, and wen di jet comot, we stand up run go save ourself." Anoda pesin wey tok to BBC beg goment make dem help dem well well becos di bandits tok say dem go come back again. E tok say, "We dey beg goment make dem send more security come protect us. But make di security pipo sabi say sometimes dem dey mistakenly kill our pipo, make dem dey check well befor dem act." "We tell security afta di attack, but na so di jet just come kill our vigilante pipo." Up till now, Nigerian army neva tok anytin about wetin happun. For January 2025, Nigerian army jet mistakenly kill 16 pipo, including vigilante and farmers, for Tungar Kara village for Zamfara State becos dem tink say na bandits. Still for December 2024, anoda airstrike kill 10 civilians for Sokoto State, and di state govnor tok say na mistake wey affect innocent pipo.
RNZ News
a day ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
At least 34 dead in India after heavy floods
Villagers wade through a flooded street after heavy rains in Kampur at Nagaon district, in India's northeastern state of Assam. Photo: AFP / BIJU BORO At least 34 people have died in India's northeastern region after heavy floods caused landslides over the last four days, authorities and media said on Monday, and the weather department predicted more heavy rain. More than a thousand tourists trapped in the Himalayan state of Sikkim were being evacuated on Monday, a government statement said, and army rescue teams were pressed into service in Meghalaya state to rescue more than 500 people stranded in flooded areas. In neighbouring Bangladesh, at least four members of a family were killed in a landslide in the northeastern district of Sylhet, while hundreds of shelters have been opened across the hilly districts of Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari on Sunday. Authorities have warned of further landslides and flash floods, urging residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert. Flood-affected villagers wade through water to reach safer areas following heavy rainfall at Badkhal village, on the outskirts of Agartala, India. Photo: AFP / ABHISEK SAHA India's northeast and Bangladesh are prone to torrential rains that set off deadly landslides and flash floods, affecting millions of people every year. Roads and houses in Assam's Silchar city were flooded, visuals from news agency ANI showed, and fallen trees littered the roads. "We are facing a lot of challenges. I have a child, their bed is submerged in water. What will we do in such a situation? We keep ourselves awake throughout the night," Sonu Devi, a resident of Silchar, told ANI. - Reuters
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- Sport
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Dragon Boats Thunder Through Hong Kong Waters to Mark Ancient Chinese Festival
Throngs of people flocked to southern Hong Kong on Saturday to watch the iconic dragon boat races, a highlight of a Chinese festival with over 2,000 years of history. Following their drummers' rhythm, crews powered their dragon boats through the water in unison, racing to become the first to reach the finish line. Residents and tourists cheered for them. The origin of the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as 'Tuen Ng' in Cantonese, is linked to various legends. But the most well-known story is about commemorating a patriotic and righteous official in ancient times who drowned himself after falling out of favor with his leader and seeing his kingdom decline. According to the lore, villagers rushed out to the river with boats to search for his body, and threw rice dumplings into the river to prevent fish from eating it. Hence, dragon boating and eating rice dumplings have become the festival's traditions. The festival is also celebrated in mainland China and Taiwan, alongside countries like Singapore and Malaysia that have a large Chinese diaspora. Residents gathered to watch dragon boat races held along the northern section of the Grand Canal in Tongzhou, on the outskirts of Beijing. In Hong Kong, a standard boat seats 20 paddlers. The government previously estimated that about 380,000 mainland Chinese tourists would visit the city during a three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday break starting Saturday, marking a 16% increase in daily average visitor arrivals.
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Dragon boats thunder through Hong Kong waters to mark ancient Chinese festival
Throngs of people flocked to southern Hong Kong on Saturday to watch the iconic dragon boat races, a highlight of a Chinese festival with over 2,000 years of history. Following their drummers' rhythm, crews powered their dragon boats through the water in unison, racing to become the first to reach the finish line. Residents and tourists cheered for them. The origin of the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as 'Tuen Ng' in Cantonese, is linked to various legends. But the most well-known story is about commemorating a patriotic and righteous official in ancient times who drowned himself after falling out of favor with his leader and seeing his kingdom decline. According to the lore, villagers rushed out to the river with boats to search for his body, and threw rice dumplings into the river to prevent fish from eating it. Hence, dragon boating and eating rice dumplings have become the festival's traditions. The festival is also celebrated in mainland China and Taiwan, alongside countries like Singapore and Malaysia that have a large Chinese diaspora. Residents gathered to watch dragon boat races held along the northern section of the Grand Canal in Tongzhou, on the outskirts of Beijing. In Hong Kong, a standard boat seats 20 paddlers. The government previously estimated that about 380,000 mainland Chinese tourists would visit the city during a three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday break starting Saturday, marking a 16 percent increase in daily average visitor arrivals.
