Bird 'running out at cars' causing havoc on estate

A bird with a "fascination for cars" is causing trouble after taking up residence on an estate.

The guinea fowl has been spotted in Moorside in Consett, County Durham, over the last few days and has so far evaded capture from well-meaning residents worried it will get run over.

Jay Lillistone has been trying to catch the bird, which residents have called Richard, in the hope of releasing it somewhere safe.

But he said so far it had given people the slip and been "running rings around us."

Mr Lillistone tried to catch the bird after it ran out in front of a woman's car, but it retreated into a garden then flew off.

He said: "It has a fascination with cars. It can sit there for half an hour and then see a car and jump out.

"It's pretty quick but one thing we didn't realise is that it could fly.

"It took off and flew on a roof and started squawking on."

Mr Lillistone said he wanted catch the bird and release it on the moors between Consett and Stanhope, where it would be safer.

The RSPCA said the bird was probably an escaped domestic guinea fowl, as they are not found in the wild in the UK.

"We understand people's concerns about animals straying into traffic and safety is the top priority.

"We really hope this bird is okay," a spokesperson for the charity said.

"The police lead on incidents which involve roads and traffic so we would urge local residents to report this to Durham Police as soon as possible."

Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].