Laxfield owl gets stuck in car number plate

The owl spent the night like this, but is now recovering

An owl spent a night with its head wedged behind a car licence plate after being hit by the vehicle.

The car owners were driving near Laxfield, Suffolk on 5 September when they saw an owl flying nearby but had not realised they had struck the bird.

However, the next morning they found the tawny owl hanging from the front of the car.

It was taken to Suffolk Owl Sanctuary where it is recovering.

It is being looked after at the sanctuary's hospital

Posting photographs of the owl on Facebook on Thursday, the sanctuary, in Stonham Aspal, said the car owners "came out to find this poor tawny owl with his head firmly wedged behind the number plate. He's very lucky to be alive".

"Thankfully, he doesn't appear to have struggled too much and apart from a rather sore head, he has no other injuries," said a spokesperson.

The owl was being looked after at the sanctuary's raptor hospital where they said they hoped he would make a full recovery.

Staff said the owl should soon be ready for release back to the wild