Patience is running thin in Neyland following reports that a bird scarer has been blasting off from land near Neyland Vale for several days.

And it is claimed that it's shots are being heard on a far more frequent level than the mandatory four shots an hour.

“This is totally unacceptable,” said one of the concerned residents.

“What has to be considered is the fact that the scarer is in very close proximity to a substantial built-up area where there are lots of residents.

"And this is causing huge problems. There are many young children living around us who are unable to sleep, and there are lots of dogs that are becoming very anxious.

"And then of course we have to remember the people who are suffering from anxiety and stress disorders. It goes without saying that the bird scarer isn’t helping them at all.”

The bird scarer has been causing a disturbance to residents for the last five days and, according to residents, it can be heard from sunrise until sunset.

National guidelines advocate that bird scarers should be released no more than four times an hour, however the Neyland residents claim their local scarer is far exceeding this recommendation.

“It’s like a firework going off, and no way does it fall within that recommended 15 minutes," said a concerned resident.

"It seems more like every five minutes. And my friends have told me that they can hear if from several streets away, including Ramsey Drive and James Street.”

It is understood that Pembrokeshire County Council’s environmental health and noise pollution departments have today (Monday, June 13) carried out investigations in accordance with Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The use of bird scarers is not illegal as they are deemed essential in protecting certain crops.

However, if a farmer or landowner chooses to use such a device, they must ensure that they are not causing a nuisance to others and that they are used in accordance with the code of practice that has been produced by the National Farmers Union (NFU).

It is also understood that birds can take up to 15 minutes to regroup following a scare.

As a result, if intervals between the shots are too short, the birds will quickly get accustomed to the sound that is being emitted and the scarer will become redundant.