A WOMAN in a quiet village is facing thousands of pounds in fines after her neighbours' feathers were ruffled by the constant crowing of her cockerel.

Fowler has been ordered to keep his beak shut after the local authority received a wave of complaints from nearby residents about his early morning wake-up call.

Carol Raines , who owns the Norfolk Grey cockerel, was issued with a warning by the council in October 2009 stating she could be fined up to £5,000 and a further £200 for each day Fowler continued crowing.

This week Carol, from Pensilva, near Liskeard in South East Cornwall, received another letter from Cornwall Council, stating more complaints had been made about Fowler, who was named after the Chicken Run character.

Ms Raines, 48, said: "I can't make him be quiet. It is a moorland village and what about all the car alarms that go off?"

The council has instructed Ms Raines to "prevent the cockerel from causing a nuisance".

Ms Raines only allows Fowler out of his hut at 7.30am along with seven females and said some of her neighbours were not bothered by the noise.

A Cornwall Council spokesman said a noise abatement order had been served on the owner of the cockerel following a standard investigation procedure.

He said: "A prosecution would only be taken following another evidence gathering and assessment process.

"The outcome of a prosecution would be at the court's discretion. There could also be fines and costs involved."

The spokesman said the council believed Ms Raines could take measures to keep the peace.

He said: "They could include further actions to abate the nuisance such as ensuring the bird is housed during the night preferably in a low-roof house to prevent the bird putting its head back and crowing, or re-homing the bird."