Peacock row re-ignites as one of Doncaster village's iconic birds wrecks fuming driver's car

The colourful birds have been a mainstay of Finningley for decades – but the village has regularly been split on whether they are feathered friends or feathered fiends.

After revealing the birds had left scratches down the side of his vehicle, one angry motorist fumed: “So much for these fkin peacocks – wrecked my car this morning.

"There’s far too many of these in the village now.

"This isn’t the first time either. They are causing expensive damage – the entire of my side door and boot is scratched so badly, it's going to need a respray. Livid doesn’t cover it.”

Last year, one of the birds was killed in a hit and run smash and four years ago, the parish council carried out a survey on the birds among villagers.

But others have defended the peacocks which roam freely around the village.

One said: “The peacocks have been here years and are welcome visitors to our garden whenever they feel like it.”

Addressing the opposing sides in the debate, one upset villager posted: “Please stop everybody. This is heartbreaking.

"I’m so sorry if cars are being damaged by the peacocks, its awful but please, please buy a cover.

“We spent £40 on a cover and it works. Please everyone, we live in this wonderful village, let’s appreciate it for what it is.”

Last October, one of the birds was hit by a car driving through the village which has been home to a colony of peacocks and peahens for 40 years, with visitors coming from miles around to see the birds.

One village said: “The peacocks are an asset and feature of our village. We should all look after them well.

In 2019, Finningley Parish Council commissioned a report on the future of the birds after complaints that their numbers were rising too fast, causing noise and damage to people’s property.

But councillors decided to leave the colony alone - and said that even if the birds were removed, they would be humanely rehomed and not culled.