Stranded cockerel rescued from Colchester river

The cockerel made itself comfortable on a reed bed in a river

A stranded cockerel gave its would-be rescuer the run-around after it was spotted sitting on a reed bed in the middle of a river.

RSPCA officer Jessica Dayes was tasked with rescuing the bird from the river in Fordham, near Colchester.

She managed to coax the cockerel back to dry land using a long pole, but the bird made off and she spent two hours chasing him among nettles in the dark.

Unharmed by his ordeal, he was then taken to a wildlife hospital.

"When the call first came in, I was very surprised and part of me was wondering if it could really be the case there was a chicken in the middle of a river," Ms Dayes said.

"However, when I arrived - there he was, sitting quietly in the middle of the river - something you don't, if ever, normally see."

She added: "We've all heard the saying 'why did the chicken cross the road', but never 'why did the cockerel cross the river'."

The cockerel made off through stinging nettles once it got to dry land

After its rescue earlier this month, the cockerel was taken to South Essex Wildlife Hospital to be examined by a vet.

He was not showing any symptoms of avian flu but was quarantined as a precaution, the RSPCA said.

Once caught, the cockerel was examined by a vet at a wildlife hospital

Ms Dayes said if the owner is not forthcoming efforts would be made to re-home the animal.