Norwich Cathedral peregrine falcon: Chick found dead

The peregrine's nesting platform is on the side of the cathedral's spire

A peregrine falcon chick that hatched on Norwich Cathedral has died, just days after all four chicks fledged successfully.

The survival of the chicks and their leaving the nest was understood to be a first in the city for more than 200 years.

Earlier, The Hawk and Owl Trust said one of the female chicks had been found dead on the cathedral roof.

They said they believed it was a flying accident.

"We have been concerned about chick T3 for a couple of days now because she hadn't been seen," a spokesman said.

"A post-mortem examination is being carried out and we will report back as soon as we know.

"Fledging is a very dangerous time for young peregrines and it doesn't matter whether they are on a cliff face or a cathedral spire, the risks are the same.

"This is nature and there is nothing we could have done to avoid this outcome.

"We still have three beautiful chicks left, so do enjoy them."

It added names had been picked for the chicks, with the dead chick due to be named Eleanor.

Her surviving siblings are Edith, after World War I Norfolk nurse Edith Cavell; Nelson, in honour of Norfolk's sea-faring hero and Perry, "a name children especially liked", the trust said.

Last year, one chick failed to hatch and another chick died.

The sole egg produced in 2011, soon after the nesting platform was set up on the cathedral's spire, produced an underdeveloped dead chick.

The latest falcons were just the third, fourth, fifth and sixth to fledge in Norwich in the past 200 years.