A pensioner who has kept geese at his home for nearly eighty years is facing a fine of £500 a day unless he can keep the birds quiet after a neighbour complained.

Philip Kempley, 86, has had geese on his land in Bridge Lane for 79 years without any complaints. But Bradford Council has served him with nuisance abatement notice following a complaint made in May.

The council has given Mr Kempley, from Ilkley, West Yorks., just 21 days to stop the nuisance caused by the geese or further action will be taken. This could see the case go to court or see him pay £500 a day for every time his group of ten geese breach the notice.

"The geese have been here even before some of my neighbours have," said Mr Kempley, a former crematorium worker.

"I have never had anyone complain in all these years and still have never had someone from Bradford Council come round. You would have thought they would have at least come and have a word with me.