An auctioneer could lose his licence after officials warned him that he speaks too loudly during sales.

David Probert, who has been in the business for 40 years, received a letter from Worcester city council demanding that he explain the level of his voice at his poultry market in Hereford.

Mr Probert often has to speak over the heads of as many as 800 people. But health and safety officials said they had received a complaint about the noise and were also looking at how long staff were exposed to clucking chickens.

Mr Probert, 59, said: “I’m refusing to reply to the council. The whole thing is nonsense, a waste of time and money.” The health and safety executive said it was duty bound to investigate a complaint.

Posted: 06|30|06 at 6:51 am. Filed under: UK News.