Flitwick residents attacked by swooping bird of prey

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said it was most likely a buzzard protecting its nest

Several residents of a town have been attacked by a bird of prey while out walking or jogging.

Eva Ruby suffered a wound to her head after being swooped on by the bird of prey in Flitwick, Bedfordshire, on 10 July.

It is believed the bird could be a buzzard protecting its nest.

Jeff Knott from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said events of this nature were "extremely rare".

"It's certainly not something that should worry people when they're going for a walk in their local woods or anywhere in the countryside," he said.

Mr Knott advised local residents to avoid the area during the breeding season, which begins in mid-April and can last a few months depending on how many eggs are laid.

Eva Ruby was attacked on two occasions while running along Church Road in Flitwick

Ms Ruby was attacked twice within the past two weeks.

The 47-year-old said on 3 July she was running along Church Road by Priestley Farm Shop when she "felt something bang the back of my head".

"I thought it was a branch but then the bird swooped so close in front of my face its tail feathers touched my nose," she said.

As she tried to continue her run the bird did the same thing twice more.

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On 10 July the same thing happened again, in the same area, but this time the bird was "much more aggressive".

"It actually cut my head," she said.

"It stunned me as it came with a lot more force that it threw me off balance.

"My head felt very sore and it was bleeding."

Ms Ruby said the bird that attacked her had a wingspan of about 3.5ft (1.1m)

Ms Ruby said it was the first time she had experienced that kind of activity, despite running the same route for 10 years.

She shared her experience on a local Facebook group and seven people said similar had happened to them.

Mr Knott reassured people the bird was "not that aggressive" and was "most likely being a good parent and protecting its nest".

"They're not mindless attacks, it's not going to follow or chase you," he said.

"I hope these kind of isolated incidents don't stop people getting out and appreciating how magnificent these birds are."