Maurice the rooster

Sir, – It was with interest that I read Lara Marlowe's article about Maurice the crowing rooster in France and his irate neighbours ("I sent a recipe for coq au vin, but he didn't take the hint", Paris Letter, July 16th).

It drew to mind a similar case in Dublin many years ago. The problem seemed intractable until someone came up with an ingenious solution, ie that the owners place a blanket over the hen house to prevent the sunlight entering it at dawn and thus the rooster had no trigger to its crowing.

It seems to have worked as there was no further trouble, either legally or in terms of noise. – Yours, etc,

BRID FITZPATRICK,

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Terenure,

Dublin 6W.

Sir, – Do they not have urban foxes in France? – Yours, etc,

AOIFE

BRENNAN,

Dublin 3.