BOTHERSOME birdscarers are ruining the peace and quiet of the countryside – and making it sound like a warzone.

That’s the view of residents of Kirton, Falkenham and the Trimley villages, on the Felixstowe peninsula, who are fed up with the loud bangs from the shot-gun imitating gas-powered machines in the fields.

Now letters have been sent to three farmers asking them to take action to curb the use of the birdscarers if possible and to ensure they don’t annoy people in the area.

Suffolk Coastal councillor Susan Harvey said she had counted 83 bangs in 30 minutes from her home at Kirton.

“It can be very annoying for people and I am not sure they even work – the pigeons sometimes don’t even fly away or just move to the next field and then return,” she said.

“The pigeons are a nuisance for everybody in the community and I would have thought a farmer and gamekeeper could work together and shoot 20 or so every now and again and that would have more success.

“It’s a question of balance. The farmers needs to protect their crops – we understand that – and we are living in the country and accept there will be noise from time to time. Sometimes though the noise is too much.”

There were other methods which farmers could use – including flying hawk kites over crops.

She said letters had been sent by Suffolk Coastal’s environmental health department to farmers in the area, and the situation had been better in the past few days.

Trimley St Mary Parish Council chairman Colin Jacobs said: “It’s like a warzone first thing in the morning when the guns start going off.”

The National Farmers’ Union code of conduct for use of the scarers says they should not be placed near bridleways or footpaths, should be moved occasionally, surrounded by a baffle to limit the sound, especially near homes, and not used before sunrise or after sunset.

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