A Scottish council is pursuing a cock with the threat of an Asbo if it refuses to cap its ear-splitting doodle-dooing.

Borders council says three-year-old Charlie's crowing exceeds a 30 decibel limit set by the World Health Organisation, beyond which kip is made difficult, The Scotsman reports.

Local B&B owner George MacFarlane said: "This has been going on every day for the past two years, and enough is enough. It is absolutely hellish. For instance, this morning the dogs were barking like mad at 3am, then the cockerel started crowing at 4.15am."

Charlie's owner, Kenneth "Ozzie" Williamson, said: "I've had him since he was an egg. I have also had his mum and dad and their mum and dad. We go back generations. Cockerels are a natural sound to the countryside and country towns - much more natural than motorbikes and thumping music."

A previous attempt to calm Charlie's show-off instincts with hormone pellets failed. Today, officials are applying for an Asbo demanding that Mr McFarlane silence his gobby charge between the hours of 11pm and 3am.

It seems the council has more sinister plans for Charlie, however. In a court submission, Borders council Asboss Kerr Scott said: "The vet has informed me there is nothing that can be done to quieten a cockerel, other than wring its neck."

Scottish First minister Jack McConnell recently criticised councils for not using their powers of Asbo enough. ®

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