Trapped barn owl released

A barn owl that became trapped in an abandoned farmhouse has been rescued after being spotted by passing walkers.

The bird had strayed down the chimney at the building in Lower Withington, near Jodrell Bank observatory.

The owl was seen when it hit an upstairs window after flying around the inside of the deserted property.

An RSPCA officer from the animal welfare charity was called and found the female perched on a bedroom fireplace. Assisted by a landowner and a farmer, he managed to gained entry and used a bed sheet to catch the captive owl.

Vets found the bird had not been injured during its ordeal and it was released at dusk.

RSPCA officer Benedict Marshall said: “It was lucky she was seen at the window as it’s a fairly quiet area with not many people passing by.

“The farmhouse is secure, even though it hasn’t been lived in for years, so I can’t think of any other way she could have got in other than down the chimney, especially as we found material in the hearth which looked like it had been dislodged.”