Cock-a-hoop Claire was filmed by BBC crews after adopting a cockerel 'evicted' from a Tyneside council estate.

Claire, 32, who left the Selby Times to take up a job in public relations in 2002, found a new home for beleaguered Basil – a red rooster who had been ruffling feathers with his early morning crowing.

The cocksure rooster is now in his own harem of hens at Claire's farm near Bamburgh in Northumberland, which she shares with her boyfriend Francis Armstrong and his three teenage children.

Basil has also been united with his Fawlty Towers namesake Cybil – the family's parrot – after housing officials gave his previous owners a notice for it to to quit its Gateshead perch.

A campaign to save the popular, but noisy bird even reached The Queen at Buckingham Palace before Claire came to the rescue.

Claire said: "Unfortunately, I lost my cockerel Henry a couple of weeks ago, and when I heard about Basil, I thought he would make good husband material for my hens!

"He seems to have settled in remarkably well, and after giving Basil a home, I'm now known as the mad bird woman of Bamburgh!

"We have plenty of space here, and I'm sure Basil can crow to his heart's content without annoying anyone. And as he gets used to his new surroundings, I'm sure he'll soon rule the roost."