The clucking nuisance of about 100 feral chickens has left residents of a Norfolk village spitting feathers, with locals claiming the birds destroy their gardens and keep them awake.

Dwellers in Snettisham, Norfolk, have said their life is being made “hell” as the chickens swarm in from a nearby wood. It is unclear who owns the land the chickens live on, but villagers believe numbers have soared recently.

They also complained of an influx of people travelling to see the birds and leaving food for them, which is attracting rats. This has created a febrile atmosphere, with reports of rising tensions between residents and visitor