A village is all of a-flutter over the mysterious disappearance of a flock of peacocks.
The 15 birds – collectively known as an ostentation thanks to their bright plumage – have added a flash of colour to East Winch in Norfolk for many years.
Suddenly, though, 14 have disappeared. Just one, known as Charles, remains.
Some locals are claiming fowl play, saying several villagers had complained about the noise and mess made by the birds, with damage done to cars.
One resident, Andrew Chapman, has even felt bound to declare he had nothing to do with the peacocks’ disappearance – after it was claimed a house he wanted to build would disturb the birds.
The 15 birds – collectively known as an ostentation thanks to their bright plumage – have added a flash of colour to East Winch in Norfolk for many years. Pictured: Robert and Elaine Baldwin with Charles the peacock
Suddenly, though, 14 have disappeared. Just one, known as Charles (pictured), remains
Some locals are claiming fowl play, saying several villagers had complained about the noise and mess made by the birds, with damage done to cars. Pictured: The village of East Winch in Norfolk
His planning application was rejected first by West Norfolk Council a year ago, and similarly turned down on appeal a few weeks ago. And the peacocks have since gone missing.
Mr Chapman said: ‘I love animals – I have rescued three in the last year. We love the peacocks. We certainly wouldn’t cause them any harm. They don’t live in my orchard, they never have – but they do seem to wander through it.’
He added that his love of animals was shown by the chickens, ducks and turkeys he keeps.
And he observed that while objections to his plan to build a two-bedroom house on grassland near his home featured concerns about the peacocks, that was not the deciding factor.
Instead, the council had ruled it was a ‘backland’ development detrimental to the character of the village, which dates back more than a thousand years and lies near King’s Lynn.
Bird-lovers say East Winch’s character has suffered because of the departure of the wild peacocks and their peahens, which had roosted in the trees around 14th-century All Saints church for more than a decade.
The ostentation is thought to have begun with a single peafowl – as the species is truly known – which escaped from a Norfolk farm. At least one bird joined it, and the flock grew.
It is possible the birds simply chose to leave as suddenly as they arrived. And despite the size of their remarkable tail feathers, they can fly.
Yet upset locals, some of whom fed the birds in their gardens, doubt they left willingly.
One resident, Andrew Chapman, has even felt bound to declare he had nothing to do with the peacocks’ disappearance – after it was claimed a house he wanted to build would disturb the birds
His planning application was rejected first by West Norfolk Council a year ago, and similarly turned down on appeal a few weeks ago. And the peacocks have since gone missing
Retired floor-layer Robert Baldwin and his wife Elaine have named the last resident peacock Charles, and are feeding him as they mourn the departure of the others.
Mr Baldwin said: ‘We think some people have been taking them. You don’t have 14 or 15 peacocks and peahens – and then have just one.
‘It’s bang out of order. People used to complain about the noise.’
West Norfolk councillor for the village Michael de Whalley said he had approached the parish council to call for an investigation, adding: ‘I am sad to hear that the peacocks have disappeared. It is concerning.’
Support worker Adele Godfrey, 56, said the presence of the peacocks had prompted her to buy her home opposite the church ten years ago.
She added: ‘I’m very sad about it. They were ever so tame, they used to come to the door. When I moved here, it was one of the things I loved about buying the place.’
