Squawking parrot is given the bird (From This Is Wiltshire)

Squawking parrot is given the bird

10:02am Thursday 27th July 2006

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BLUE the parrot has been given his marching orders after his squawking upset neighbours.

North Wiltshire District Council have told owners Shelley and Anthony Hanks, of Roebuck Close, Wootton Bassett, the bird has to go after receiving complaints about his noise.

Mrs Hanks said: "I got a letter on Saturday saying that people had complained about Blue.

"Everyone is completely devastated. He is a member of the family and there's nowhere for him to go."

The council's environ-mental health team has also warned the bird will have to go. "They phoned me this morning and made it sound like Blue already had to go,'' she said.

"They said to me they are not telling me to get rid of him but it will come to that. People round here don't like the noise."

She said sons Thomas, 11, and Marcus, four, are devastated at the prospect of losing their pet.

Mrs Hanks said: "If I go out he shouts Mum' and cries until I come back. He knows quite a few words and can mimic all the family members. Once a neighbour said she thought I had left my son at home because the crying was so realistic."

Mrs Hanks' mother, Gloria Mutlow, said: "They are so upset by this, but I know that Shelley won't have Blue put to sleep.

"The parrot says thanks dad' when Anthony feeds him, and also says hello Marcus' when he comes into the room."

Mrs Hanks said she would try to find a good home for Blue. However, she added: "But right now I can't think of that. I have been crying all morning and just don't know what to do."

For the Hanks' neighbours though, the council action cannot come early enough.

A neighbour, who would not be named, said: "The noise is terrible, you can hear it all the time.

"It is at it's worst at around 4.30pm. It's complete bedlam, especially when the children are out the back as well.

"Lots of our neighbours have phoned the council to complain. We had a barbecue the other day which was ruined because of the noise."

A council spokesman said: "We are monitoring the noise because the number of complaints we have had is larger than normal. If it was one or two it might be a passing problem, but there have been more than that."

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