Hurt peregrine falcon gets private plane from Guernsey

The falcon is being looked after at Hawk Conservancy in Andover

A peregrine falcon injured in Guernsey has been flown in a private plane for treatment in Hampshire.

The female bird, which is unable to fly, was found hopping in the road two weeks ago with its wings coated in an unknown substance.

It was flown to Southampton Airport on Tuesday and is now being looked after at Hawk Conservancy Trust in Andover.

The falcon has already lost feathers from both of its wings and may have to undergo a feather transplant.

The alternative solution is to allow the bird to moult naturally before releasing it back into the wild, a process which is likely to take six or seven months.

Conservationists initially thought the bird had been caught in a glue trap but an earlier inspection by a vet at the trust revealed that the damage had been caused by an oily substance.