Staff 'very worried' as flamingo search continues

Frankie does not have the bright pink colourings many associate with flamingos

The owner of a wildlife sanctuary said he and staff are "beside ourselves" with worry as they wait to hear of new sightings of a flamingo which has gone missing.

Frankie escaped from the walled garden at Paradise Park in Hayle, Cornwall, on Sunday morning, despite having clipped feathers.

The flamingo is the second one bred at the park and there have been a number of sightings, including in Porthtowan and at the RSPB's Copperhouse Pool in Hayle - but she remains missing.

Park director Nick Reynolds said: "I don't think she knows what she's looking for to be honest - she's just like a naughty teenager."

Frankie the flamingo was reportedly sighted flying over an RSPB garden in Hayle on Sunday

He said everyone at the park was "desperate" to hear if Frankie had been found.

"We need to get her back as soon as possible, we are really beside ourselves to be honest," Mr Reynolds said.

Frankie was hatched on 1 July and is the first flamingo chick to hatch from its nest and be reared by is parents at the park.

"She has been such a star all summer," Mr Reynolds added.

"Frankie has really made our year to be honest and everybody loves her."

There are 15 flamingos at the park, the only ones in Cornwall.

Young flamingos are grey and slowly develop a pink colouring by consuming crop milk from their parents and eating types of algae, crustaceans and insect larvae.

Mr Reynolds added Frankie could be at risk from foxes and "hopefully she found somewhere safe to stay last night".

"If she's in water then she's OK but up on the land, you know it's very worrying for us," he said.

Anyone who sees a flamingo in the area is asked to immediately contact Paradise Park and staff will attempt to rescue her.