Sooty owl rescued from wood burner

The tawny owl was unable to open its eyes due to soot from the wood burner's flue

A tawny owl is set to be checked by an eye vet after being found trapped and covered in soot in a wood burner flue.

The bird had strayed down the chimney at a holiday home on Dorset's Jurassic Coast at Upwey near Weymouth.

It was rescued by pest control expert Kenny Best and a log burner specialist who took the unused stove apart, revealing the owl's talons.

Mr Best said the owl was being cared for at a bird sanctuary and was due to have fuller checks on its eyesight after it was found to be "missing his perch".

The owl, found stuck in a flue at a holiday home near Weymouth, has been struggling to land on target

Tenants staying at the home over New Year reported hearing scratching noises from inside the flue.

Mr Best said finding the stuck owl had been "very surprising".

"We looked up at the flue and saw a pair of talons hanging down," he said.

"We got a rod from the van and managed to get him down but he was covered in soot and couldn't open his eyes".

The owl was wrapped in a towel and taken to nearby wildlife conservationist Derek Davey.

He said after cleaning it up and giving it an eye wash, the owl was "looking a lot happier and eating well".

But despite being able to fly again, it was not able to land securely on a perch.

Mr Davey said he had been unable to establish if the owl was male or female as it had not been calling.

He said the owl would be kept at the sanctuary "until I'm sure it's ok, then released back to it's territory".

Mr Best said repairs were being made to the holiday home's chimney to prevent further birds becoming trapped.