Cockerel alarm clock sparks council probe

London, June 30 : A Brit man's cockerel alarm clock sparked a council probe after a neighbour cried foul that he had sheltered chickens in his house.

Billy Verity, 68, who wakes up to five blasts of "cock-a-doodle-doo" between 7am and 8am each day bought the 9.99 pounds joke clock from a website.

The retired truck driver who keeps 200 chickens at an allotment four miles from his home, fell foul of neighbours who called up the council chiefs.

Verity was not at home when two investigators arrived in Nelson, Lancs

However, neighbours told him about the snoopers and he telephoned Pendle Council.

"I thought it was a joke. It must have been my alarm clock. Someone has obviously heard it and thought I was keeping birds," The Sun quoted Verity, as saying.

"I love birds and have kept them all my life, but I don't keep them in the house - I am not daft," he added.

Housing Pendle, which runs the sheltered accommodation, said it was "satisfied" Billy was not keeping birds at his home.

ANI