Runaway 6ft rhea bird terrorises village

An escaped giant bird caused quite a flap as it ran amok on the streets of Pershore near Worcester. The six-foot emu-like bird was spotted running around and went on to kick and bite at people who tried to apprehend it. Wendy Martin, the wife of retired vet Roger Martin, was asked to help recapture the two-year-old rhea, a large and powerful bird related to the ostrich.

Mrs Martin, aged 66, said: "Somebody came and banged on the kitchen window telling me there was a big white bird running up and down the road. I thought maybe one of my geese had escaped, so I went out to catch it. I was amazed to see a big bird like an ostrich. We were trying to catch it, but it was running around people's gardens, jumping over fences and hedges like they were nothing.



“I had the idea of putting it in a wheelie bin, but it kicked me. Eventually a man helped me bring it under control. He was very brave."

The bird, known as Charlie, had become frightened at a poultry farm – Gouldlise Poultry – in Drakes Broughton, and made off across the fields towards Pershore, swimming across a ford.



Its owner Sharon Gould followed its footprints in the snow, but eventually drove to Pershore in the car where she discovered the animal was at the vets. “I had been asking people if anyone had seen a six-foot white bird,” she said. “They looked at me like I was a bit mad.”

One of the vets, Adam Stanyer, was bitten by the bird but was able to return to work the following day.