Fowl play! The judge, his peacocks, and locals who can't stand the noise any more

After residing for at least 60 years in the pretty village of Mulbarton, the peacocks that roam the area obviously think they rule the roost.

They can be found strutting around the Norfolk community's common, hopping proprietarily into residents' gardens and occasionally even trying to board a bus.

But their future is uncertain after a villager lodged a formal complaint with the local council about the noise they make – and other locals have since made their own concerns known.

South Norfolk Council confirmed it is looking into the matter, which could result in an abatement notice requiring the owner, retired county court Recorder Alan Steynor, to take action.

The 80-year-old, who lives at grand Mulbarton Hall, has 'substantial experience of arbitration proceedings at all stages', according to an online profile - and may need to call on those skills if the unrest cannot be quelled.

It isn't known which villager made the complaint about the racket, which the council said concerned the brightly coloured birds making too much noise.

But other locals have since come forward to reveal their own frustrations at the 20-strong muster, as the birds are known collectively.

'They are really, really annoying,' said one who lives close to Mulbarton Hall, where the birds officially reside.

Peacocks have been a feature of Mulbarton in Norfolk since at least the 1960s

'They come into my garden and damage my greenhouse.

'I know a lot of people that live in this row of houses hate them.'

Laura Sinclair, who lives in a nearby road, said: 'They do wake you up early, especially in mating season, which is quite long.

'They are a pain to be honest. The noise is quite a nuisance.'

But there are plenty of supporters too, among the village's 4,000 residents.

A staff member at the village primary school – which has an official 'peacock policy' that advises pupils to avoid feeding them and move away if any appear in the playground or buildings – said: 'We love them. They're magnificent creatures.'

Rosemary Hanson admitted the birds had become 'noisier and noisier every year' but doesn't consider them a problem.

'I live on my own and I quite like it. They come and sit on my fence on one side of the garden,' she said.

The birds officially reside at Mulbarton House, owned by retired judge Alan Steynor, but can be found struttting around the village

She once saw one trying to board a bus, adding: 'The bus driver looked terrified.'

The noise from the peacocks can start as early as 3am and escalates during the April to September mating season, when males emit a loud screech to court the peahens.

Some locals suspect the rising dissatisfaction among some of their number is due to the village's transformation in recent years.

Hundreds of homes have been built, bringing newcomers who aren't used to the sounds of the countryside.

One said: 'They [the birds] were here first. People who have lived here for five minutes should have thought about whether it was the right place for them before moving in.'

Peacocks are not classed as wild birds and are the responsibility of their owner, under UK law.

If disturbances continue and more complaints are received, South Norfolk District Council could escalate its investigation under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

If the noise affects people's lives, for example by preventing them from sleeping, the birds could be classed as a statutory nuisance, with officials serving the abatement notice on the owner.

Mr Steynor, 80, has owned the birds for 20 years after he took them on from a friend who moved from the area

The village primary school has an official 'peacock policy' that advises pupils to avoid feeding them and move away if any appear in the playground or buildings

Meanwhile Mr Steynor, who has owned the birds for 20 years after he took them on from a friend who moved from the area, appears to be relying on the open-mindedness of the public.

He said: 'I'm sorry that people might be upset but I hope British tolerance will continue to apply.'

A council spokesman said: 'The way we deal with this is we write to the people who we believe own the birds and ask them to manage the birds.

'We also write to the complainant and say if things haven't improved, let us know.

'The birds have been in Mulbarton for years. It's just one of those things about living in the countryside.'