Local authorities have used community protection warnings (CPWs) and community protection notices (CPNs) to restrict activities that many would find harmless.

Council officials have curbed other activities such as cockerel crowing - as well as disputes between neighbours, radio noise and messy gardens.

Some 20,700 CPWs were issued by local authorities to their residents last year, as well as 6,100 CPNs.

A CPW is a preliminary step, and is followed by a CPN. If the person under the CPN does not comply, they can be hit with a breach of Community Protection Notice.

This is a criminal offence, which can entail a large fine or other remedial act.

These powers were given to councils under a 2014 law aimed at cracking down on anti-social behaviour.

They do not have to be approved by a court, unlike non-conviction anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs). Many more CPNs have been issued than ASBOs.

But the Manifesto Club, which carried out the research, said the CPNs had become "all-purpose".

The civil liberties group's report, shared with the Times, said: "A wide range of behaviours are being targeted with CPNs.

"Because the CPN is such a broad power with a low benchmark of issue, and minimal evidence or procedural requirements, it functions as an all-purpose power that can be used for almost any incident or problem".

Thanet District Council issued an order prohibiting “excessive bee hives", while East Cambridgeshire District Council slapped residents with a CPW for “noise from [a] quiz night". East Devon District Council issued a curb on cockerel crowing.

The majority of community notices issued last year were for rubbish, noise and anti-social behaviour.