by Nathan Rao

Some people may be woken in the night by an owl hooting or a dog barking in the distance.

But for some, it is a more exotic tone that drifts through the bedroom window as dawn breaks.

For people living in Court Tree Drive it is the deafening and incessant wail of Peacocks at 3am.

According to one resident of the otherwise peaceful Minster neighbourhood, there can be up to 20 of the birds on his lawn at a time.

Dave Wilcock, 44, has resorted to putting mesh around his cabbages and raspberries otherwise he says they would be gobbled up.

He also said they mess on the shed, try to reproduce with his car, and litter the roof with bird mess.

One even took on his cat which he claims has seen off much more aggressive opponents.

But he said he would not be without the creatures visiting his garden as they make a colourful and beautiful addition to life in his neighbourhood.

He said: "They are gorgeous but my God they can be a nuisance.

"They attack the cars, especially at this time of year when they see their reflection. They are also mating at this time of year and are attracted to the colours of the car.

"My cat is hard, but when he tried to take one on thinking it was a big chicken, but they are vicious and have massive claws and he didn’t stand a chance and couldn’t compete. He would take on a fox, but not one of these.

"I have had 15 or 20 on the lawn in the afternoon it is absolutely amazing."

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