A COCKEREL which turned up in a family garden has got neighbours in a flap -- because he is waking them up at 4am.

The cockerel, nicknamed Henry, doesn't want to budge from a 200ft garden in Tockholes Road, Darwen and has made a new friend in Vicky Walter, 12.

But her family said his cock-a-doodle-do simply won't do.

They fear the 4am crowing will make them unpopular with the neighbours, so they are looking for his owner -- or a new home.

Their only concern, as dedicated vegetarians, is that he does not end up as a cock-in-a-pot.

Mother-of-three Angelica Walter, 50, of Tockholes Road, said: "Vicky was just out playing one day when she said there was a bird in the garden and he hasn't moved since.

"He seems to have settled in very well. He roosts high up in one of the trees where he is safe from the foxes, pulling himself up with his beak.

"He hisses at the geese over the road and glides down whenever he wants a bit of company from Vicky or some food.

"But he is waking the neighbours at four each morning, so we are going to make ourselves very unpopular. They are being very good about, it but it's not really fair on them."

Neighbour Claire Albert, 16, who lives in an adjoining terrace in Scholes Street, said: "We have only just moved in. It is really loud and wakes me up really early every morning."

The animal-loving family said the adopted bird has settled down to a diet of chicken feed and bread.

And now he is the proud rooster over eight pet guinea pigs and a pet cat.

Vicky said: "I called him Henry because I thought he was a hen and that's short for Henrietta, but when we found out it was a boy I decided to stick with Henry.

"I will really miss him if he goes."

Mrs Walter added: "He is quite a character and is quite suspicious of people, but Vicky has become quite attached to him. We would love to keep him.

"There are quite a few allotments and farm fields nearby, but we have no idea where he has come from and we haven't approached anybody because we want him to go to a good home.

"Vicky has never eaten meat so she doesn't really agree with him ending up on somebody's plate.

"We even feel sorry for him when he is outside in the rain on his own!"