A bid to keep turkeys in tip-top condition has come before planners.

More than 3,000 of the potential Christmas lunches are reared at the Lords Acre Nursery at Cold Norton and now the business owners are seeking planning permission to be allowed to live in an existing mobile office at the site to care for the creatures.

Turkeys are delivered to the site when they are six weeks old and stay there for about four months before being removed for slaughter.

The owners say they need a person to stay on site to help protect the birds from predators, ensure the automated food and water system is working and prevent thefts and other problems.

The mobile office already contains all the creature comforts of home including a living room, kitchenette, bedroom and bathroom and planners are recommending Maldon District Council's north western area committee approves the bid at its meeting on Monday.

Published Tuesday July 27, 2004

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