A couple in their 70s have been charged with failing to stop their eight dogs barking and annoying neighbours.

Residents in Weston Road, Norwich, complained about the pets at Michael and Irene Gant's home.

And Norwich City Council served an abatement notice on both the husband and wife last June.

Mr Gant, 77, appeared before Norwich magistrates' court on Tuesday, February 18. He said his wife was too ill to attend.

He did not wish to enter a plea to charges of failing to comply with an abatement notice, as he said he had not received all the evidence, namely sound recordings made of the barking dogs.

Prosecutor Victoria Jempson said sound equipment installed at the next-door property recorded "200 dog barks in a single recording".

The prosecution agreed to serve the sound recordings on the couple within 14 days and a trial was set for May 13 at the same court.