Review of the year: August

PILOTS practicing for the World Aerobatics Championship were accused of making life a misery for Crow Country residents. Planes were swooping over Royston and the surrounding villages as their pilots geared up for the championships being held at Silversto

PILOTS practicing for the World Aerobatics Championship were accused of making life a misery for Crow Country residents.

Planes were swooping over Royston and the surrounding villages as their pilots geared up for the championships being held at Silverstone in Northamptonshire.

Peter Shuttleworth, of Ashwell, said: "The noise is completely annoying and monotonous. You go out in your garden and all hell breaks loose."

Another resident, Tina Foulser, from Therfield, said: "It's really awful. It's been going on for two or three weeks and we never get a break."

However, aerobatic pilot Mark Jefferies, based at Little Gransden airfield, said people should cut the pilots some slack.

He said: "Eighty per cent of people in this country fly on commercial airlines, and a lot of the big airline pilots do aerobatics in their spare time. It's their way of relaxing," he said.

Also in the news...

- A farmer threatened to shoot dogs which attacked his sheep. Robert Law, of Thrift farm, sounded the warning after one of his sheep was killed by a dog that had been let off it's lead.

- Royston kite festival enjoyed good weather and attracted record crowds. The town's MP Oliver Heald commented that it was "the best yet".

- It was announced that birds of prey would be introduced to tackle Royston's pigeon population. North Herts district council's community development officer Alan Fleck said it was "the most effective short term solution.